


Christmas in Paris

by Ashtheshortstack



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette, Aged up characters, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Ash bites off more than she can chew once more, Christmas fic, F/M, Human!Kwamis, Inspired by Hallmark Christmas Movies, NO ONE KNOWS, Why does she do this to herself?, Yes the title is supposed to be a cheesy hallmark title
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:20:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21944245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashtheshortstack/pseuds/Ashtheshortstack
Summary: Marinette Dupain-Cheng left her life in Paris behind when she began working at Miraculous Designs in New York City. But a collaboration with the Gabriel brand brings her back to her roots... and her old crush.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Plagg/Tikki (Miraculous Ladybug)
Comments: 33
Kudos: 254





	1. Part 1

Marinette Dupain-Cheng couldn’t deny being proud of her achievements and accomplishments. Her time spent at Esmod was worth every second. When she was chosen to intern at Miraculous, she was nervous and still had plenty to learn. She worked her way up and became more successful than she’d ever imagined she’d be at twenty-four. Alya chalked it up to her best friend being talented, but Marinette just thought she was lucky. In the right places at the right time. Her mentor, Tikki, helped and encouraged her so much along the way.

Tikki was like her mother away from home. She admired her so much. Not to mention the woman was beautiful. Her vibrant ruby hair, bright blue eyes, and a comforting smile… it made Marinette feel reassured all of the time. That someone so amazing told her how great she was often. Tikki was one of the brand’s biggest designers who took Marinette under her wings and guided her to where she was now. Tikki always insisted that Marinette’s talent alone got her where she was, but Marinette couldn’t help but credit her mentor for a large portion of her success.

She did work hard, however. Marinette would never deny that her determination in drive played a large factor in where she ended up. She was thankful for the support of her family, friends, and coworkers. It made her feel secure in her place.

Tikki tapped lightly on the door of Marinette’s office, peaking her head in. Marinette glanced up from her sketch book. She’d been working on her portion of Miraculous Christmas collaboration. She was hopeful that her designs were up to par. Especially since it wasn’t just Miraculous’ name on it.

“Hey, Marinette. Wayzz wants to see you in his office.”

Chest tightening, her eyes widened. “R-Right now?”

Tikki beamed with a nod. “Yep,” she started out the door before pausing and gesturing to her desk. “And bring the book.”

Her sketches. Wayzz wanted to see her sketches. Oh God. Oh no. She wasn’t ready to present her designs. There were so many final touches she wanted to add.

Marinette felt her heart pounding in her chest as she collected her things to meet with her boss. When she closed the door behind her, Tikki placed a gentle hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Palms sweaty and body shaking, Marinette took in a deep breath to calm herself. In and out. In and out. Breathe, Marinette, _breath._

“You’re going to be fine,” Tikki cooed, her hand rubbing along her shoulder.

“A-Are you sure? I haven’t had much time to prepare.”

Shooting a reassuring and knowing smile, Tikki opened the door to Wayzz’s office. “You’ll be fine.”

Marinette gulped as she walked in. Wayzz spun around in his chair with a grin. How this man ran a high corporate business with hair dyed that green, Marinette would never understand. It almost matched the color of his green eyes. His hands were clasped, his knuckles beneath his chin.

“Well, well, if it isn’t my favorite designer.”

Marinette shook her head, smiling. “You say that to all of your designers.”

Wayzz gave a shrug. “That’s because you’re all my favorites.”

She felt her hesitance slowly melting away. Marinette pulled out the seat and sat down with her sketch book pressed against her chest. Wayzz immediately gestured to the book, waggling his fingers for Marinette to hand it over. She did as she was told, handing over the sketch book without a second guess.

“U-Um, Tikki said you wanted to speak to me?”

There was a smile on his face as he flipped through her designs. Glancing up at her, he tilted his head. “Yes, I do,” he paused, setting her book down. “Marinette, how much do you know about the Gabriel brand?”

Chewing her lip, Marinette shrugged halfheartedly. “A lot, actually. I grew up in Paris where his brand is centrally located. I entered a lot of his fashion contests as a teenager. His son even modeled one of my designs.”

Wayzz grinned with a nod. “Exactly. I’m sure you know we collaborate with another brand for Christmas every year. It’s something we’re known for.”

“And this year it’s Gabriel Agreste?”

“Yes! Exactly! And I thought, who better to handle a collaboration with a company from Paris than our resident from Paris? Who knows this brand more than any of us do! Even was _featured_ in some of his collections,” he explained.

Marinette gaped, pointing at herself. “You want _me_ to handle the Miraculous Christmas collaboration?”

Wayzz nodded. “Of course. I believe you’re fully capable of handling it, Marinette. If it makes you feel better, I’ll even send Tikki with you.”

“That would help,” she agreed.

“This is a great opportunity for you. My father will even be attending the show with me. It could really jump start your career here as a full-fledged designer. Please tell me you’ll say yes.”

Marinette’s gut swirled. It was a great opportunity, she knew. Part of her wanted to shout yes from the rooftops, but the other part felt a pit in her stomach. It’d been so long since she’d seen Gabriel’s designs. What if he didn’t even remember her and didn’t take her seriously as a designer. That would be a nightmare. She would basically be starting from scratch to earn respect. Knowing that Gabriel Agreste was a stern man was intimidating. But she could do it, right?

“Yes, I’ll do it.”

Wayzz practically jumped from his skin. He stood from his seat, grabbing Marinette’s hands and shaking them. “Great! I’m so thankful for your corporation, Marinette.” He grabbed her sketch book and slid it back across his desk. “These designs are wonderful. The last three are my favorite. You may want to add a little more frill to the collar. But not fur, of course. We’re against that.”

Taking her book and curling it against her chest, Marinette nodded. “Yes, of course, sir.”

“I look forward to seeing you at the catwalk. You’ll be flying out the day after tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Wayzz.”

“No, Marinette, thank _you._ ”

o~o~o~o

“We’re going back to Paris!?” Alya cried as she bounced excitedly on her toes.

Marinette kicked off her shoes and hung her coat up as she entered her and Alya’s shared apartment. Only truly dedicated best friends moved across the Atlantic to be a support system. It’s not like Alya didn’t hurt in the move. She made a very successful career as a New York blogger and journalist.

Eyeing her best friend, Marinette glowered. “I don’t recall saying that Wayzz Fu bought _you_ a ticket.”

“Then tell him to get me one. You’re not going back home without me.”

Marinette smiled with a fond roll of her eyes. She started into the kitchen to prepare herself a drink and a snack. “I’ll call him in a bit,” she conceded. Smirking, she cocked a brow at Alya. “This excitement wouldn’t happen to be because of Nino, would it?”

Alya scoffed, waving a hand. “Oh please, don’t give me that. You’re literally going to be collaborating with Adrien’s _dad_. Don’t act like you aren’t excited to see him.”

Taking a sip of her coffee, Marinette glared. “I’m not. That ship has sailed. Long gone.”

“C’mon, M. You were in love with the boy all throughout collège and lycée . You can’t tell me those feelings are just gone. I know you’re excited to see him. You should just tell him how you feel while you have the chance!”

Marinette nearly choked on her drink. “Alya! There’s nothing to tell. Those feelings for Adrien were nothing but a school girl crush, you know that. If I was still in love with him, which I’m _not,_ then I wouldn’t have dated Luka as long as I have.”

“And yet, here you are: single. _You_ broke up with _him_ if I’m remembering correctly.”

“Luka is a great guy. We had fun together, but I didn’t see it going any further. He’s just not…”

“…Adrien?”

“No! I mean, yes, he’s not Adrien. B-But that’s not why!”

Alya smirked, leaning onto the island as Marinette grabbed a donut from the box. “You know Adrien liked you too, right?”

Marinette didn’t look up as she shook her head. “No, he didn’t.”

“He did too. Nino told me.”

“He liked Lila,” she argued. Marinette turned, leaning her back against the island. “God, he deserved better. I don’t understand how Adrien attracted such brats. Chloe? Lila? They were horrible.”

“He _didn’t_ like Lila. Lila mooched up to his dad to become a model and then proceeded to tell everyone that she and Adrien were an item. There was never anything actually there, you know that.”

“He didn’t stop her. He didn’t put an end to the rumor, so he must have been okay with it, right?”

Alya rolled her eyes. “You’re hopeless. Gabriel just liked the image of Adrien dating another model. Which, by the way, Adrien didn’t do.”

“He dated someone?”

Nodding, she hummed. “Yep, right after we left. Some girl named Kagami? Nino said she looks a lot like you. Boy must have a type.”

“There is no type. There is no Adrien and me.”

“There could be. Adrien and Kagami broke up like a year ago. Said the same thing as you: ‘I just didn’t see it going anywhere’ wah, wah, wahhh.”

Marinette gave Alya a hard stink eye before shoving her donut in her mouth. “I gotta pack,” she muffled out before quickly heading towards her room.

“Don’t forget to tell Wayzz to buy me a ticket!”

o~o~o~o

Marinette sat on her bed, crossing her legs beneath herself. Opening her laptop, she waited for the video call to go through. Her parents’ smiling faces popped up on the screen.

“Hey Maman, Papa!”

 _“Good evening, sweetheart!_ ” her mother cooed. _“How has your day been?”_

“Well, I’ve been given this great opportunity with work, and I think you’ll really like it.”

 _“Oh, really?”_ Tom asked with a smile. _“What is it?”_

“You’re looking at this years’ Miraculous designer for the Christmas collaboration.”

 _“Marinette! That’s wonderful! We’re so happy for you, honey!”_ Sabine bounced with a smile. _“Who are you collaborating with?”_

“That’s the best part, Maman. I’m collaborating with Gabriel Agreste.”

_“Gabriel Agreste? Does that mean…?”_

“I’m coming home for Christmas!”

Her parents cried with excitement, hugging each other tightly.

 _“We can’t wait to see you, hun! I’ll have the warmest and biggest hug waiting for you when you get here!”_ her father stated proudly, puffing up his chest.

“I can’t wait, Papa,” Marinette giggled. “Oh, my mentor will be assisting me on the project. Is it okay if she stays with us? I’d hate for her to end up staying in a stuff hotel on Christmas.”

 _“Of course, sweetie! Oh, we’re so happy you’re going to be home for the holidays. We’ve missed you so much. We know you’re living your dream out there in New York, but we do get lonely without you,”_ Sabine said.

Marinette smiled sadly and nodded. “I miss you, too, Maman.”

_“When will you be flying in?”_

“Wayzz booked me for the day after tomorrow.”

 _“Oh, that’s so soon!”_ Sabine replied with a smile.

“I’m sorry it’s so short notice.”

 _“No sweat, Marinette. We’ll have the house ready for you both,”_ Tom said.

“Alright, well… I have to finish packing and get all of my designs sorted. I’ll talk to you both tomorrow?”

Her parents nodded in the screen.

 _“We love you!”_ they both chimed.

“I love you both too,” Marinette replied with a smile. She closed her laptop and started towards her closet.

o~o~o~o

If there was one thing that Marinette absolutely hated… it was airports. Especially at Christmas. It was so busy. So many crowds. So many people. So many presents flying around. She cringed at the thought of people’s gifts getting tossed about in an airplane as they traveled.

Marinette almost cried tears of joy to be off the plane after landing safety in Paris. It felt so odd to be back home. It’d been two years since she’d stepped foot in France. With Alya living with her and her parents able to close the bakery to come visit here whenever they wanted, there wasn’t any reason to come back.

After retrieving their bags, Marinette headed towards the pickup area with Alya and Tikki in tow. She turned to Tikki with a curious look. “Who is supposed to be picking us up?”

“Wayzz said it was a Gabriel representative,” she replied with a shrug.

Humming, Marinette turned her attention towards the doors. Oh no… was that? Nathalie?

Sure enough, it was. Gabriel’s personal assistant was there to pick them up. She remembered Nathalie always kept Adrien on a tight leash when they were teens. He was always forced to be on an intense schedule. Photoshoots, fencing lessons, piano… Adrien hardly had anytime to hang out. Except when he snuck out to Marinette’s house for cookies and treats late at night.

Nathalie was the one who caught him creeping back into the mansion, of course. He got a stern talking to once the cat was out of the bag. The assistant kept a keen eye on Marinette after the incident. Probably assumed she was a troublemaker of some kind.

Marinette gulped inwardly as they approached her. Nathalie’s stern, emotionless expression was still the same as ever. She maybe had a few more grey hairs. Working for Gabriel Agreste would do that to you, she figured.

“Hello, I’m Nathalie Sancoeur. I’m the personal assistant of Gabriel Agreste.”

Tikki took the forefront with a polite curtsy. “I’m Tikki Cook. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance Madam Sancoeur. This is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She’ll be the designer collaborating with Gabriel for the Christmas collection.”

Nathalie glanced at Marinette with a flat look. “Yes, I remember you Mlle. Dupain-Cheng.”

She cringed. “S-Sorry.”

“The past is the past. I trust you’re not as rambunctious as you were as a teenager. You’re here to do a job, and I’m here to assist you,” Nathalie gestured to Alya. “I didn’t know you’d be having company.”

Alya let out an awkward laugh with a wave. “Yeah, I’m here for moral support.”

“Alya Cesaire, isn’t it? Your mother is the head chef at Le Grand Paris, correct?”

Nodding, Alya smiled. “Yeah, that’s me.”

“Adrien’s friend Nino mentions you often as well,” Nathalie said before heading towards the door.

Alya gave Marinette an excited look before they headed towards the door. Well, at least Alya would get to have a good time with Nino during this visit. It wasn’t like Marinette didn’t _want_ to see Adrien. They were best friends in lycee. He was so shy and well-mannered around his father and in school. But when she and Adrien were alone, he was goofy and _loved_ puns. Marinette had never seen someone love making puns as much as Adrien did. It took her forever to get comfortable around him. When Marinette first started crushing on him, she became a stumbling mess. She jumbled up her words, stuttered like no tomorrow. Tripping on her feet? Of course.

She was literally falling for him, you could say.

The trio followed Nathalie to the limo. She took a seat in the passenger side. Same driver as well. He must still be Adrien’s bodyguard. She never learned the man’s name… Adrien always just called him the Gorilla. So, that’s what she called him as well. He also aged a bit, but not much. It had only been a few years since she left Paris. It was nice that not many things had changed too much.

Sliding into the limo, Marinette led the way as Tikki and Alya followed suit. Telling them to take her to her parents’ house, Nathalie knew she was referring to the bakery. Tikki partook in the cooler and took a large gulp of the water offered.

Marinette turned to her mentor with a smile. “Will you be adding any designs to our collection, Tikki?”

The red head gave a smile and shook her head. “Nope. This one is all you, plus whatever Gabriel designs. I assume he’s taking the head and designing them all himself.”

“R-Really? My designs will be showcased next to Gabriel Agreste’s?”

Nathalie spoke up from the front seat. “Yes, that is correct. Actually, he agreed to do the designs himself because Fu told us you would be the lead designer.”

“It’s a good thing I said yes then,” she muttered to Tikki.

“Gabriel has a lot of hope in you, Marinette. Clearly, the man thinks you have talent or else he wouldn’t have featured your designs when you were just a kid,” Tikki replied.

Nathalie hummed in agreement. “She’s right. Monsieur Agreste was glad to hear you had found success somewhere. He wanted to offer you an internship at Gabriel while you were at Esmod, but because you were Adrien’s friend he feared that may appear to be a conflict of interests.”

“Wow, really? I had no idea…” Marinette said in awe.

Really? She could have been working here at home all this time? It was nice to think about, but she enjoyed living in New York. She liked working at Miraculous. She’d never give up the time she’d spent there earning her keep. She loved working with Tikki and her assistants as well as the other designers. They were truly good people there. Nowhere near as cut-throat as the other companies Marinette had floated with. They had a true family atmosphere and that is what made her adore her bosses.

Working at Gabriel was something she dreamed of as a kid… but it just wasn’t realistic. He was the biggest designer in Paris. Everyone wanted to work for him. One wrong step and you were fired immediately. Marinette knew that. And Gabriel wouldn’t have made any exception for her.

She liked knowing that she worked her way where she was. That her talent made her successful, not who she knew. Being Tikki’s protégée didn’t _hurt_ by any means. But she didn’t get the job she got because she was friends with the right people. Marinette knew she earned it. And she was lucky to be where she was.

That was what mattered most to her.

Tikki bumped her shoulder. “If it’s any consolation, I’m glad you came to work for Miraculous. You’re my favorite protégée… just don’t tell the others.”

Marinette laughed, smiling widely. She did a zipping motion along her lips and threw away the key. “Not a peep.”

o~o~o~o

Arriving at the bakery was surreal to say the least. When Marinette stepped out of the limo, the smell of fresh bread hit her nostrils. Smelled like home…

Her parents burst through the front door, their tinder smiles as they called for her made Marinette’s heart sing happily. They pulled her into a tight hug. The warmth of her parents made her physically relax as she sighed and wound her arms around their shoulders.

“I’m so happy to be home,” Marinette murmured to them.

Sabine placed a kiss to her cheek. “We’re happy to have you, sweetheart.”

When her parents released her, they turned to Alya with a smile. “Alya!” Sabine called. “It’s so good to see you.” Sabine brought her best friend into a tight hug. Alya returned the gesture with a grin.

“I’m glad we’re back, Sabine.”

Her mother gave Alya a knowing smile. “Are you going to be visiting someone soon?”

Laughing, Alya glanced away. “Well, I’ll be seeing my parents and sisters first… but I’ll probably be paying him a visit soon.”

Tikki poked Alya in the shoulder. “I’m sure hearing a lot about this Nino character. I hope I get to meet him while we’re here, hm?”

“Yeah, I’ll introduce you.”

“Mlle. Dupain-Cheng,” Nathalie cleared her throat from her seat in the limo. Marinette quickly spun on her heel to see the woman. “I expect you’ll be at Gabriel tomorrow morning at seven?”

Marinette nodded feverishly. “Yes, mam. Of course.”

With a curt nod, Nathalie rolled up her window as the Gorilla drove them off towards the mansion.

Some things never changed…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Welcome to me torturing myself again! I was supposed to be writing this fic all through December, but this month has been INSANE. Soooo that didn't happen. Now, I'm cramming to write it now. I decided I just wanted to get the first part posted. So, here it is. I have no idea how many parts it'll be. I'll keep writing on this tonight and tomorrow after my family leaves. Hopefully, I'll get it done by the 26th?
> 
> Thanks you guys for dealing with my insane antics!!!
> 
> [tumblr](https://ashtheshortstack.tumblr.com)


	2. Part 2

Marinette had somehow hadn’t expected how enormous the Gabriel building was. Most of the designing was done at the mansion, especially since Gabriel became reclusive after Adrien’s mother passed away. Marinette had never gotten the opportunity to meet Emilie because she was gone before Adrien began school with them… but he’d told her stories often.

She stepped out of the limo, swallowing thickly as she gazed up at the multiple story building. They’d certainly expanded in the last few years. She knew Gabriel had continued to branch out into multiple industries. Including cosmetics and skin care. Adrien’s fragrance was still their most successful to date… so Gabriel marketed perfumes and colognes even more. With Adrien being the face of his own section of the brand. Lila became the face of his more women-oriented campaigns.

It made Marinette roll her eyes harshly every time she saw Lila’s stupid face in ads. She absolutely couldn’t stand the girl. She was a compulsive liar, and it took everyone _forever_ to figure it out. It finally took an immaculate lie about designing something that very clearly had Marinette’s signature on it that finally her classmates believed her.

Adrien had always believed her though. He’d always known there was something fishy about Lila’s incredible tales. When Marinette noticed the discrepancies and pointed them out, Adrien listened and believed her wholeheartedly. It was amazing to have _someone_ listen to her. At least Alya felt guilty after Lila was finally caught. Her best friend apologized profusely for years.

When Nathalie finally left the limo, she motioned for Marinette to follow. The two marched up the steps, heading into the large glass doors. The building was similarly decorated to the Agreste home, she noticed. Very grey, very bland, and butterfly markings occasionally. There were large portraits of different photoshoots hung from the walls. Adrien was in most of the photos. The pictures varied in time, apparently. In some he was young, looked about like they did in college. Others he looked like he did in their time in lycée. And the more recent ones… wow.

He looked so handsome. Marinette couldn’t help but pause in her steps. She gawked at a very grown up Adrien Agreste in a very grown up underwear advertisement with three other male models. Why was there an underwear ad on the wall!? And why was it in black and white!? And _why_ was she having to stop herself from drooling?

“Mlle. Dupain-Cheng? Are you coming?” Nathalie called over her shoulder.

Gathering her wits, cheeks flushing, Marinette shook her head. “Y-Yeah! Sorry.”

Nathalie cocked a brow, a knowing look in her gaze. She began walking, her back to Marinette once again. “When is the last time you’ve spoken to Adrien?”

“O-Oh, um—well. We email from time to time… that’s about it.”

“That’s surprising considering how close you two were,” she said.

Marinette let out a sad hum, glancing down at her feet. “I think that’s why we hardly talk anymore. It’s easier that way.”

“Easier?”

“Easier to miss him because I pretend he’s not there,” she replied dryly. “If we spoke, it’d be more painful. I’d speak to him and not be able to see him at all.”

Nathalie paused in her steps, surprising Marinette. The ladder almost bumped into the older woman but was able to stop in her tracks before the collision occurred.

“He misses you too, you know,” Nathalie spoke quietly, glancing over her shoulder. “He pretends your loss of contact doesn’t bother him, but I can see that it does. When he speaks of you, he’s very excited. But when he goes quiet, there’s a sadness that I can never place.”

“Oh…”

Marinette wasn’t sure what to say. She knew Adrien meant a lot to her, but she sometimes doubted what she meant to him. To know that he missed her made her feel a bit guilty for avoiding Paris (and him) as much as she had been. Being in New York was just easier. She didn’t have to face Adrien and have all these convoluted feelings built in her chest. Maybe, she did use Miraculous to run away. To avoid having to be around Adrien while he didn’t feel the way she felt.

“Marinette, this is very unprofessional of me, I know. But I’ve cared for Adrien like my own son ever since his mother passed. I’m asking this as someone who cares for him, not as his family’s assistant. Will you please consider reconnecting with him while you’re here?”

Hugging her sketch book tightly to her chest, she gave a tiny nod. “Yes, I will.”

“Thank you.”

o~o~o~o

Reaching Gabriel’s office was intimidating to say the least. It had been years since Marinette presented a design to someone that wasn’t Tikki or Wayzz. She felt like she was thirteen again, entering a contest for Gabriel’s judgement once again.

Nathalie opened the door, gesturing for Marinette to walk in. Gabriel sat in his large chair as he scribbled on something on his desk. She could only assume it was a design of some sort. When he heard the door open, he glanced up beneath the frame of his glasses.

Nervously, Marinette took a seat as Nathalie went to her own desk in the opposite corner of the room. Gabriel cleared his throat, closing the book he’d been writing in. Sitting up straight, he folded his hands on the desk, intertwining his fingers.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng, it’s certainly been a while,” he stated in his normal stern tone.

Nodding, Marinette mustered all her confidence. “Yes sir, it has. It’s nice to see you again.”

“I was very thrilled to know you’d found success somewhere. When Fu contacted me about the collab and informed me that he wanted you to be his lead designer, I knew I had to accept.”

“I’m very flattered. You were always who I looked up to when I lived here. Hearing those words coming from you mean a lot, Monsieur Agreste.”

Gabriel nodded with half a smile etched along his lips. It was rare he let any emotion slip through that stone demeanor. “I trust you’ve already created some designs?”

“Yes, sir,” she peeped out quickly. Marinette instantly flipped to her Christmas themed designs, sliding her sketch book across the desk for Gabriel to see.

His eyes searched the page, seeming to take in every little nuance and swipe of her pencil along the page. Gabriel’s chin rested in his palm, finger tapping along his jaw.

“These are quite exquisite, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng. Instead of us each having our own designs in one show, I would actually like to do a true collaborative effort,” Gabriel said as he opened his own design book.

“Y-You mean, you want to _combine_ our designs?”

His smirk was clearly the answer. Gabriel pointed to her slender red dress design that had a large Christmas themed bow on the chest. Next to it, his own design featured a white fur shawl and hat with mistletoe berries pined on the side. “The shawl and hat from my design would greatly complement the dress you’ve created here, wouldn’t you agree?”

Eyes wide, Marinette agreed. “Yes, sir. It looks wonderful.”

“We’d use synthetic fur, of course, to respect Miraculous’ cruelty free brand. We’ve been interested in ridding real fur for our own designs as well. This would be a step in the right direction for us as a brand.”

“It does garner a lot of attention. Many people appreciate the thought of animals being saved rather than worn.”

Gabriel hummed, nodding as he looked at the sketches. “Do you think you could design a Christmas derby to accompany one of my male designs?”

“Yes, sir, of course. You… You remember my derby hat?”

Chuckling, he spun his chair to the side. “Of course, I do. It was quite impressive for someone who was as young as you were back then. That derby even got the attention and praise of Audrey Bourgeois.”

“Th-Thank you. It’s nice to know your work is appreciated.”

“It definitely is. Especially here. I assume we’ll be using all Gabriel models for this, yes?”

“Yes, sir. We decided it would be best for us to use local models rather than make our models fly out for the holidays. Even they deserve a break every once in a while.”

With a nod, Gabriel turned to face her once more. “Would you like a list of models and headshots to pick from?”

“Actually, sir… If I could request one thing?”

Sitting straight, Gabriel seemed intrigued by her sudden change in tune. “Yes?”

“I don’t mind any models that you choose. You have free reign to decide which of your models are compatible with which looks. Except…” Marinette trailed off, feeling a smidge guilty for the words that were about to leave her mouth. She twiddled her thumbs in her lap as she spoke. “This may seem petty and unprofessional of me, but could Lila Rossi not be one of the models? She and I never really got along in school. I can’t guarantee that there wouldn’t be tension between the two of us, and I wouldn’t want to make others uncomfortable. I wouldn’t want to be distracted from doing my best work either.”

“Understood. Consider it done.”

Blinking, Marinette gaped. “Really? You don’t think that’s wrong of me to ask?”

Gabriel leaned over his desk. “Mlle., we both know this is a cut-throat industry. If Lila Rossi is not what you want featured on this collection then she will not be. There’s nothing wrong with making decisions that are best for personal gain. Especially in fashion. Don’t feel guilty for doing what’s best for you.”

“Wow. Thank you. I really appreciate that.”

“In return, I assume that having Adrien as the lead model and face of this collection is a fair trade?”

Mouth dry, Marinette inwardly panicked. She knew the chances of working with Adrien during this collection were high, but him being the lead model meant that she would have to be with him daily.

There wouldn’t be passing looks and awkward waves in the hallways as she had hoped. She would be directing him. Measuring him. Setting his schedule. Deciding his looks. Measuring him. Deciding his makeup. Posing him.

 _Measuring him!!_ Up close and personal!

If her panic showed on her face, Gabriel didn’t react. Marinette quickly nodded with a smile. “Of course! It’ll be great to catch up with him again,” she spewed out.

Bullshit, bullshit, _bullshit!!_ She was faking it to make it right then. Because she didn’t want to catch up with Adrien. Much less see him at all. Oh, she could just _hear_ herself blubbering and tripping over her words like she did when she first started crushing on the boy. It took her _years_ to become his best friend and not be a stuttering mess around him.

It would be like starting over from scratch!

Gabriel smiled. “Great. This meeting went very well, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng. I look forward to getting to work within the next few days. I trust you will have that derby hat design for me by tomorrow?”

Marinette stood stiffly. Nodding quickly, she grabbed her sketch book and pushed the chair in. She shook Gabriel’s hand with a smile. “Yes, sir. I’ll have it taken care of.”

When she turned Nathalie was already opening the door. Finally, she could make her escape. Trotting hurriedly towards the door, Marinette left the office. She turned and started down the hallway. Oh, this was bad. So, so bad. Working with Adrien would be so awkward. She was sure he didn’t forgive her for taking off like she did. She barely even told him goodbye when she left for New York.

And what? The occasional email didn’t actually satisfy him? Not from the way Nathalie spoke of him. What could she do? Beg for his forgiveness? Confess her undying love for him?

Wait. No, no, no.

She did _not_ have feelings for Adrien Agreste. That was a schoolgirl crush. Ancient history. Marinette was a grown woman now. She could resist those gorgeous emerald green eyes that made her swoon when he peered into her soul. And those flaxen blonde locks that always became a cute messy when he got nervous and ran his hand in his hair. Or that amazing smile he had when he looked at her with soft eyes.

Yeah. She could resist that.

The mangled thoughts in her head did nothing to help her leave Gabriel. She didn’t pay attention to Nathalie’s directions, and she just then realized she was walking aimlessly through the halls.

This was fine. She could figure it out. She didn’t need to go ask for help. She could get out of this mess—

or so she thought until she bumped into something hard enough to send herself tumbling to the floor.

Marinette grunted as her butt cushioned the fall. That’d leave a nice bruise on her tailbone the next day, she was sure. Groaning, she rubbed her head and gathered her wits.

“Oh, jeez. I’m so sorry. I was looking at my phone and didn’t—Marinette?”

Oh, _no._ That voice. It was much older. More mature… but she knew that voice.

Blinking her eyes opened, Marinette peered up at none other than Adrien Agreste staring down at her. His eyes were wide, brows furrowed in confusion. Reaching a hand out, he helped her to her feet.

“H-Hi, Adrien.”

He gawked at her, the surprise clear in his face. “What are you doing here?”

Chewing her lip, she laughed nervously. “Well, I’m here on a business trip.”

“Business trip? Aren’t working at Miraculous—wait. _Wait!_ ” Adrien gasped, running a hand through his fussy hair. “ _You’re_ the lead designer for the Christmas collaboration?”

Marinette felt her heart thudding so loudly in her chest she thought it might explode from her skin. She shrugged half-heartedly. “Guilty as charged.”

“Marinette, holy shit. That’s _amazing_. You’ve been doing this—what— _two_ years in the big leagues?” He smiled at her. That genuine smile that always made her knees weak. “I knew you had it in you.”

She felt her cheeks flush. “Thanks, Adrien.”

He glanced away, looking down at his shoes for a moment seeming to contemplate his next words. “Why… Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back to Paris?”

Swallowing thickly, she didn’t know how to answer. His feelings were clearly hurt from his tone. She didn’t mean to make him feel like he didn’t matter. Marinette could understand, she’d probably feel the same way if he came to New York and didn’t tell her.

“I knew it was a Gabriel collaboration. I figured it’d be a nice surprise if I just showed up on set,” she lied smoothly.

Squinting at her, he cocked a brow. “You were… going to surprise me?”

“Yep!”

“Uh huh. Sure, M.”

“It’s true!”

“Yeah, right.”

“Aw, c’mon, Adrien.”

He pouted at her, crossing his arms. “No, Marinette. Tell me the truth. Why were you avoiding me?”

Sighing, she rubbed her temple. “It—It hurts to have to say goodbye to you, you know? I try to avoid doing it like the plague.”

Adrien’s shoulders dropped, arms falling limply to his side. “Is that why you didn’t say goodbye when you left?”

Clicking her tongue, Marinette gave him a side-eyed glance. “If anyone could have convinced me to stay in Paris, it was you.”

“Mari—”

“Ah, I see you’ve found one another,” Nathalie piped in as she walked up behind the two of them.

Marinette spun on her heel. “Yes, we have. Could you please direct me to the exit again? I seem to have taken a wrong turn somewhere.”

“Yes, of course. I’ll escort you to the limo,” Nathalie said with a nod.

Giving Adrien one more glance, Marinette smiled at him. “It was good to see you. You look good.”

He smirked. That smirk that used to drive her absolutely crazy. “You look good too. See you around?”

“Yeah.”

o~o~o~o

“How do I get so unlucky sometimes!?” Marinette cried as she paced around the living room of her parents’ home. “Not only does Gabriel assign Adrien as the lead model of the collection, but then I _somehow_ manage to literally run into him in the hallway!?”

Alya snickered behind her hand as Tikki stared like a confused doe.

“I don’t understand,” the red head piped in. “Why is Adrien being the lead a bad thing? Isn’t he the Gabriel brand’s most popular model? Won’t that give us more attraction to the collection?”

Bursting into giggles, Alya bumped Tikki. “That’s not the type of attraction happening here.”

“What?”

Marinette pointed sternly at her best friend. “Alya! Not a word!”

“Hey!” Tikki interrupted. “I’m a part of this too. I should know what’s going on.”

Alya smiled. “Marinette’s in love with Adrien Agreste.”

“What!?”

“No! I’m not!”

Waving a hand, Tikki shook her head. “Hold on, hold on. Since when is Marinette in love with Gabriel Agreste’s son?”

“Since middle school,” Alya cooed quickly. “Literally head over hills for the boy. Had pictures of him all over her room. It was embarrassing.”

“Alya, I don’t see you paying Nino any visits since we’ve been here,” Marinette quipped.

“Hey! I’ll see Nino when I get there.”

Tikki stood, hushing the two girls. Her voice was soft when she gently touched her protégée on the shoulder. “Marinette, is it true? Do you have feelings for him?”

Sighing, Marinette hugged her arms to her chest. “I… I thought I was over him. But I saw him today and we fell right back into our stupid bickering like it hadn’t been years since we’ve seen one another. I have all of these feelings bubbling back up in my chest. Oh, God… Tikki, what do I do? I’m supposed to be professional!”

“You _can_ be,” Tikki insisted. “You’ll be fine, Marinette. And who knows… If Adrien feels the same way about you then maybe some good can come out of you returning to Paris. Maybe, it’s fate.”

Marinette gazed at her. “You really think so?”

“I know so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's no way I'm getting this done as soon as I wanted. But... it'll be fine.


	3. Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette designs... and decides to go after what she wants.

A Christmas derby hat wasn’t too hard to design. Since Gabriel said it was a _male_ design and Adrien was the lead model, it was natural for Marinette to assume the hat was meant for him. Gabriel emailed her a copy of the design. It definitely looked like an “Adrien outfit.” Gabriel always had a particular style for his son. After gazing longingly at photos of said blonde for years.. she picked up on the nuances on the particular style.

She didn’t want to make Gabriel’s outfit entirely. It was made clear that he wanted Marinette’s special touch on the designs. She was happy to oblige. Majority of the design was red with tinges of green accents in the seams.

Tapping the pencil to her lip, Marinette hummed as she sketched along the paper. The entire hat being red or green would be too flashy and could clash with the outfit. Too much red would be overwhelming, and green may seem more Peter Pan than Christmas. Knowing this hat was most likely for Adrien meant it needed to compliment his blonde hair and green eyes. Black definitely worked on top of his head. She sketched a red and green plaid band on the bottom of the crown as well as a perfectly placed poinsettia on the left side. Just enough red, but not too much. She added a little gold signature along the brim.

She held up the design with a grin. Pleased with her work, she scanned the drawing and sent it quickly to Gabriel. First deadline met? Check.

Which meant… she could go enjoy a lovely homecooked breakfast her mother was preparing. She could smell the sweet crepes from the kitchen. Taking in a large whiff, she smiled. It was nice to be home. Marinette couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty about avoiding Paris. It wasn’t that she wanted to avoid her parents… just a certain blonde super model.

Heading down the stairs, Marinette still felt shocked to see her mentor sitting in her kitchen at the island. Tikki turned with a grin.

“Oh, good morning, Marinette. Get your derby hat design sent?” she asked as she leaned her chin in her palm.

Tikki was awfully cheery in the mornings. Marinette never could understand it. Esmod got her used to waking up early, but to say she was a morning person would still be a stretch. Tikki tapped at the tabletop with a grin. “Since you hid your little teenhood love story, I asked your mom to fill me in.”

Marinette felt her chest tighten as she shot a look to her mother. “You didn’t.”

Sabine smiled. “Oh, honey, don’t be so ashamed. You and Adrien were so cute.”

“I particularly like this one. Was this on Halloween?” Tikki asked as she held up a photo.

Groaning, Marinette threw her head back. “Nooo!! You pulled out the pictures?”

“You can’t know the full Marinette and Adrien story without pictures.”

“Maman!!”

Noticing the picture in Tikki’s fingers, Marinette felt her cheeks flush. “Yes, that’s from Halloween,” she mumbled.

She distinctly remembered that picture too. It was superhero costumes she created for a party Adrien had invited her to. He had asked her what she could create that would hide their faces and make him less recognizable. Shockingly, all it took was a leather suit, some cat ears, and a domino mask to give Adrien a bit of privacy for the evening. She remembered them dancing together, laughing and smiling. It was the goofiest Adrien had ever been. He looked so free. She was happy she could do that for him.

Smiling at the memory, Marinette’s fingers grazed over the picture. It was a selfie they’d taken on her old polaroid. Adrien’s grin in the picture was blinding. The biggest she’d ever seen him smile.

“What have I done…?” she murmured.

“Marinette?” her mother asked, concern clear in her tone.

She felt tears welding in her eyes as she glanced across the images on the island. “Maman, why did I do this to him?”

“Sweetie, what are you saying?”

“I _broke_ his heart. I didn’t say goodbye… I left in the night and sent him a goodbye text telling him I was going to New York. I’m so, so _selfish!_ I _knew_ he would try to convince me to stay I couldn’t bear to see his face,” she whimpered, the hot tears beginning to bubble over. “I never had the guts to tell him how I feel. Nor did I even give him the chance to tell me how _he_ felt!”

“Then make up for it now,” Tikki interrupted.

Blinking, Marinette gaped at her. With a sniffle, Marinette spoke, “What?”

“We’re working with Gabriel, and you’re the lead designer. Adrien is the lead model. You’re going to spend a lot of time with him, so make up for that time you lost,” Tikki reached out, taking her hand. “Don’t let anyone stop you from being with the boy you always loved. I saw you with Luka… You cared for him but there wasn’t that—that _spark_ , you know? You’re feisty and don’t want to be coddled. I know you well enough,” Tikki glanced over at Sabine and gestured between the two of them, “ _We_ know you well enough. Go after the man you _want_ and don’t settle for anyone else.”

Her mentor’s words made her heart swell. She smiled, glancing between the two amazing women in her life. “You’re right, Tikki! I know there’s a chance that Adrien could be over me and no longer feel that way about me… but I want to rekindle our friendship at least. He meant a lot to me. And I can’t ruin that.”

Her phone pinged as she spoke. Yelping, she glanced down to see an email notification. From Gabriel. Oh, God. Oh no.

“Marinette?” Sabine asked.

“It’s from Gabriel…”

Tikki tilted her head. “About the derby?”

“I assume so.”

The redhead gave a laugh. “Well, what are you waiting for? See if he likes it!”

Gulping down her nervousness, Marinette took in a deep breath. If he didn’t like it, she’d just fix it. Make the adjustments that he wants. That’s it. Don’t overthink it. Don’t be offended if he doesn’t it like it. That’s just how this business works, and she knew it. Marinette tapped open the email and began to read aloud: “‘Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, this derby design is just as exquisite as I would expect from you. It will highlight the green accents and match the red in the design as well as match perfectly with my son. I would like to have another meeting tomorrow at 15:00 for us to compare and combine more designs. Thank you.’”

Marinette squealed and bounced on her toes. “Yes! I knew it was for Adrien! Nailed it!” she cheered while striking a pose.

Her mother and mentor both giggled at her celebration. But Marinette was excited for herself. And proud. Not to mention Adrien would be wearing one of her designs again, and she was thrilled. He looked nice in derby hats… it worked with his messy hair.

“Look at you! Now, you’ll definitely have a shot at a certain blonde model,” Tikki teased with a waggle of her eyebrows.

Marinette bit her lip in an attempt to hide a smile. She knew her mentor was right. This was a great opportunity to impress Wayzz and Wang Fu, Gabriel Agreste… and _Adrien._

Tikki gratefully took the plate of crepes that Sabine offered her, smiling and thanking her. As her mentor began digging her fork into the stack, she looked to Marinette.

“So, what’s the plan? Do you have more designs for Gabriel?”

Marinette took a seat on the stool next to her, awaiting her own stack of crepes with an eager bounce. “Not that he hasn’t seen yet. I guess I’ll be spending the day sketching. I don’t want him to think I’m a one trick pony.” Sabine slid a cup of coffee towards her daughter with a knowing smile. Marinette tipped the cup in thanks before taking a sip. “Do you think it’d be overstepping if I made my own design for Adrien?”

Tikki hummed as she chewed. “Well,” she said through a mouthful before swallowing. “If this a collaborative effort, I wouldn’t see it as an overstep. If Gabriel doesn’t like it, then he’ll just tell you no.”

“Yeah, but… Gabriel is oddly kind to me right now. He was so—so _stern_ and quite frightening when I was young. He would threaten to pull Adrien out of school to keep him in line. Forced him to play piano, fence, and take Chinese lessons. On top of keeping him busy with modeling since Adrien was at photoshoots at least three times a week. It just seems so out of character…”

Tikki gave a shrug. “Just because Gabriel wasn’t the greatest parent doesn’t mean he can’t be professional. Anyone can see your talent from a mile away, Marinette. Especially, if he saw how talented you were at a young age. It’s normal to be kind when you’re impressed.”

“I guess you’re right,” she said while taking another swig of her coffee. “After breakfast, I’ll get started on designs.”

Sabine slid a fresh stack of crepes in front of Marinette, making her mouth water. It’d been so long since she’d had her mother’s crepes, let alone an authentic French breakfast. Sure, America had a lot of pancake houses, but they weren’t anything like her mother’s. Eating the sugary crepes made her heart sing. Oh, how she’d missed this.

Her phone dinging on the counter got her attention. When Marinette unlocked her phone and saw a message from Alya, she felt her shoulders deflate.

Sabine tilted her head. “What is it, dear?”

“Alya is seeing Nino tonight. They’re going to a restaurant tonight and invited me,” Marinette sighed.

Tikki’s brow furrowed. “You don’t want to?”

“Nothing… I want to see Alya and Nino back together. I want to be there for them in case they’re both a little nervous.”

“Then what’s the problem?” she asked, confusion still clear in her tone.

“I can’t!” Marinette cried, throwing her hands up. “I have to work on these designs for Gabriel. I’m in Paris for work, not for a fun visit. As nice as it would be to see Nino, I can’t do it. Not today. Not while I have another meeting tomorrow.”

Tikki shook her head. “Oh, c’mon, Marinette. Live a little. I see you work your life away in New York. This is your home where you grew up, and you haven’t been here in years. Make the most of it. You won’t be here for long. You should go see Nino. It’s the morning, so you have all day to work on your designs and then go out tonight.”

“But what if Gabriel finds out I’m going out and not working on his designs?”

“Then he’ll think you’re a human being that needs a _break_ like the rest of us.”

“I don’t think Gabriel Agreste _is_ human. Adrien always said his dad has had a stick up his ass since he was a teenager.”

Sabine gawked. “Marinette!”

“What!” she shrugged. “It’s his _son’s_ words, not mine!”

“I can’t believe Adrien would be such a potty mouth.”

Marinette giggled. “Maman, Adrien is a lot of things you wouldn’t expect.”

Sabine chuckled with a small shake of her head. “ _Anyway_ , Tikki is right. You should have a nice evening with your friends. You’re always working, Marinette. You’re only home for a few weeks, so take some time for yourself.”

Sitting up straighter, Marinette gave a nod. “Okay! You’re both right. I’ll finish breakfast and go work on my designs during the day and then have a nice evening with my friends.”

“Yes! There you go!” Tikki cheered.

That was that. Marinette was determined to make this stay back in Paris worth every second. She could mix business with pleasure.

Right?

o~o~o~o

When Marinette checked the time, she rocketed out of her seat. Alya would be there _any_ minute to pick her up. Grabbing her hairbrush, she yanked the knots out of her raven locks. There wasn’t time to style it or put it up, so it’d just have to stay down. While Marinette loved polka-dots, she thought a pink striped sweater would be a good look for the evening. The sleeves were loose on her arms but the knitted material would keep her warm. She pulled her high-waisted jeans up over her hips and tucked her loose top into the waistband.

Marinette wasn’t one to typically wear much make-up, but her outfit was really speaking to her. Even though she was in a rush, she still wanted to look her best. With a touch of pink shadow, pale blush, light lipstick, and winged liner, her face was to her liking. She accessorized with a gold bracelet and necklace to match.

Andddd she was good to go.

Snatching her purse, she sprinted down the stairs. She quickly jumped on the couch right as Alya opened the door.

“Wow, you’re actually ready? I’m shocked,” Alya teased with a grin and a cock of her hip.

Marinette pshed and waved a hand. “Me? I’ve been ready for like twenty minutes.”

“Oh, of course. You just naturally breathe like you just finished a marathon.”

Glancing away, Marinette stood with a nervous smile and a shrug. “Yes?”

Alya rolled her eyes with smile. “Let’s go, M.”

Marinette waved her parents off as they left through the bakery. Tikki seemed very interested in her mother’s macarons as she questioned the different flavors available. That woman could certainly eat all the merchandise if they’d let her. 

As they started down the street, Alya gave her friend a once over. “You look really cute, girl. Why are you so dressed up?”

“I’m trying to stay warm.”

“That top is the first thing you saw when you realized you were going to be late?”

“Maybe.”

Alya snickered and shook her head. Quickly, Marinette changed the topic to Alya’s own get-up. “You’re pretty dressed up too. Trying to impress Nino with those pumps?”

Her best friend tried to hide her smile. “Maybe.”

“Trying to get lucky this evening?”

“Oh, please, Marinette. Like you’d know anything about that.”

Marinette flushed, glancing away. It was true, she was a bit ignorant on the topic of intimacy. It wasn’t that she’d never done anything. But going “all the way” never seemed right. No matter who she was with. It wasn’t something she was ashamed of. Most thought it was romantic that she wanted it to be perfect.

And maybe that was just her perfectionist tendencies… Who knew?

“Still, Alya. You’re looking a little sexier than business casual,” she teased. It was true though. Her orange frilled top and tight black skirt hugged Alya’s curves in all the right places. For Nino, that is. At least she had on a thick shawl so she wouldn’t freeze in this weather. But surely her legs had to be cold.

Alya smirked. “You think so?”

“Definitely. You’ll have Nino eating out the palm of your hand.”

Snickering, she gave a shrug. “That was kind of my plan.”

With a bit more chatter, Alya suddenly changed course as she pointed to two figures in the distance. “Hey! There they are,” she chimed.

Marinette paused in her steps, yanking Alya back by the shoulder. Her best friend nearly lost balance in her heels turning to Marinette hotly, an annoyed look etched along her face. “What the hell, Marinette?”

“What do you mean by _‘they’_?” she hissed.

Alya’s eyes went wide as she laughed nervously. “Oh, did I say ‘they’?”

“Yes. You did,” Marinette growled.

Eyes flickering, she grimaced. “Well, Nino _may_ or may not have invited Adrien to join us.”

_“What!?”_

Alya grabbed her by the shoulders. “Calm down, M. Don’t overreact. You look great, and you’re going to be fine.”

Marinette took a deep breath, closing her eyes and gathering her wits. “Why didn’t you—oh, I don’t know— _tell_ me?!”

“Because I knew you’d act like this!” she said gesturing to her. “And… I was worried you wouldn’t come if I told you.”

“That’s not true!”

Alya cocked a brow. “Is it?”

Chewing her lip, she glanced away. “I don’t know.”

“See what I mean? Live a little, M. Don’t be afraid of falling in love again.”

“That’s not what I’m afraid of…” she murmured as Alya started towards the boys.

She was afraid of having to say goodbye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, finishing this story is my first priority as well as my other holiday themed fic. Then the ending of Lock it Up will be coming... hopefully by the end of this month? 
> 
> Thanks for putting up with my bullshit, guys! LOL.


	4. Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette finally reconnects with Adrien...

As Alya and Marinette approached the boys, the latter couldn’t help but feel a painful twisting in her stomach. What would she say? What would she do!? This wasn’t just a casual bumping into within the halls of Gabriel, this was a whole dinner. Meaning she’d be sitting there with Adrien for _hours._

She was a bit shocked when she saw Nino. He’d grown his hair out a bit and wasn’t wearing a cap like he used to. The blue plaid coat he wore over a dark shirt and jeans seemed to keep him warm enough.

…But she had to hold back drooling when she saw Adrien.

He was clad in a leather jacket with a green sweater beneath. Her heart stuttered in her chest. Did he know she was going to be here? She’d always told him that green was his color since it matched his eyes. His dark jeans were low on his hips, and his green sneakers matched the assemble.

Was she checking him out?

Yes.

Shamelessly.

She’d ogle him all day if he’d let her.

Alya noticed her gaze and tugged her forward, waving wildly at the boys. “Hey guys!”

His smile almost made her melt as he gave a timid wave. “Hey Alya!” he called before his voice dropped and he shot her a tender gaze. “Hey… Marinette.”

Giggling like a schoolgirl wasn’t in Marinette’s plan, but it bubbled past her lips anyway. Giving a tiny wave with her fingers, she smiled. “Hi,” she squeaked.

Nino rushed past the blonde, winding his arms around Marinette’s shoulders. “Marinette! Wow, it’s been so long.”

Snorting a laugh, Marinette returned the hug, tapping him on the arm. “It’s good to see you too, Nino. But isn’t it Alya you should be hugging?”

He patted her shoulder with a grin. “Alya and I got our mushy reunion over with this morning over breakfast. I had to go to the radio station for my shift, but I thought it’d be cool if we all hung out tonight like old times!” Nino bumped Adrien on the shoulder.

The blonde rolled his eyes with a snort. “Does that include you fitting me with the bill?”

“Like always,” Nino chimed.

Marinette couldn’t help but smile at the exchange. Some things really didn’t ever change. And she was happy for that. She was glad that Adrien and Nino’s friendship had stayed a constant over the last few years that she and Alya had been in New York.

Nino looked between Marinette and Adrien. He waggled a finger between the two. “What about you two? You don’t seem at all shocked to see one another.”

Oh, she was _entirely_ shocked. But she was good at hiding her emotions. It’d come over time in the fashion industry.

Adrien smirked, glancing at her. “We bumped into each other at Gabriel the other day.”

When Alya snorted, Nino glanced between the two of them. “Figuratively or literally?”

“Literally,” she and Adrien said in unison.

They paused, looking at one another in a stunned silence. She and Adrien used to do that all the time in lycee… It was wild to have that happen again. So quickly at that.

Adrien’s chuckle was infectious, making her laugh along with him. He wound his arm around her shoulder. “You know, I’ve missed having someone to jinx with.”

If there was one thing Marinette could still do, it was read Adrien like a book. The way he was smiling down at her told her wonders. He’d missed her. He’s missed her _a lot_. He was so happy to see her.

She couldn’t deny that she was so happy to see him too. Gazing up at him, Marinette beamed. “You know what? Me too,” she admitted as she leaned against his chest for a moment, her head tapping him on the collarbone.

He grinned before detaching from her. Holding her by the shoulders, he looked her up and down. “This is the Marinette I’m used to.”

Cocking a brow, she gave him a puzzled gaze. While Adrien was pretty easy to read most of the time… sometimes he blathered nonsense that didn’t make sense.

It’s why they’d gotten along so well. They could typically translate one another’s word vomit.

“What do you mean?”

Adrien brushed his fingers along her raven locks. “You have your hair down. And you’re wearing pink. It was weird seeing you at the office wearing dark colors and a bun in your hair. You looked so… uptight.”

She pshed, waving a hand at him. “Oh, c’mon. I must look professional, Adrien. Especially in front of your father.”

“Touché.”

Nino cleared his throat, and they both turned to give him a deer in the headlights look. “Are we going to visit out here the entire evening, dudes? Or would you actually like to go inside?”

“I could eat,” Adrien barked out with a nervous laugh.

Marinette feverishly nodded in agreement. “Right! Me too!”

o~o~o~o

Sitting across the table from Adrien brought back so many memories. It was like they all fell back into their old habits. She and Alya sat across from the boys as she and Nino flirted and played footsie under the table.

The familiar feelings made her heart swell. She wouldn’t admit it aloud, but it was nice to be home. It was nice to feel like a teenager again. Marinette knew she had a lot of responsibilities ahead of her in the next few weeks, but she enjoyed being in that moment. Enjoyed just spending time with the people she cared about.

It was awkward at times. She and Adrien kept glancing at one another. Briefly making eye contact before they’d both fleet their gaze elsewhere. Marinette wasn’t quite sure how to act. Did she just come out and tell him that she’d had feelings for him all these years?

No. No way. She could never do that. That would be unprofessional of her while they were working on this collaboration. Maybe, after the fashion show she could tell him?

“Marinette, did you hear about that?”

“Huh!? What?”

Alya snorted, rolling her eyes. “Girl, again with going into space?”

Adrien was smiling at her. She simply flushed and shot a look down at her lap.

“As we were saying, M… Adrien said his dad usually hosts a Christmas Gala to go with whatever Christmas collection he releases. Is Miraculous going to be part of the gala this year?”

Blinking, Marinette gaped. “A _gala?_ No, Wayzz told me nothing about it.” The panic instantly kicked in. Her hands went to her face as she heaved a breath. “Oh, God! I didn’t pack anything for a gala! I only packed casual and business clothes. I didn’t pack _any_ type of dress or fancy clothes. Wait. I don’t even _own_ anything that nice!”

“Woah, woah, woah,” Adrien sputtered out and tapped on the table to catch her attention. “Mari, there’s no guarantee that my father is even hosting the gala this year.”

“Still! Why wouldn’t Wayzz tell me?”

He grimaced, glancing away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stress you out.”

“No, no… It’s not your fault. I just didn’t realize something so important could occur. I would have made a dress… or brought better jewelry.”

Alya gave her a flat look. “Better jewelry? All you ever wear are those ladybug earrings Tikki gave you.”

Pouting, Marinette reached up to touch said jewelry in her lobes. “Hey… This was her first Christmas gift to me. I felt special.”

Nino nudged Adrien. “Don’t worry, Marinette, this guy can’t judge you. His bodyguard is a jerk, but when he gave this guy a birthday present for the first time this year, Adrien’s never taken it off.”

Swatting his friend, the blonde growled. “Shut up, Nino.”

But Marinette was confused. “Your bodyguard? The Gorilla didn’t get you a birthday present until this year?”

Adrien shook his head. “I have a new bodyguard. One that I hired myself rather than my father forcing him upon me. The Gorilla is a great man, don’t get me wrong. But he was under my father’s thumb and following his orders. Plagg lets me have freedom. He lets me go wherever and is more of a friend than an employee.”

“And encourages you to break rules,” Nino added.

“You’re right. And I’ve never felt more alive.”

Marinette barked a laugh and crossed her arms with a knowing smirk. “Adrien Agreste disobeying his father without hesitation? I never thought I’d see the day.”

He leaned an elbow on the table, resting his chin in his palm. “Yeah? I do recall a certain blue-eyed bestie of mine whose convoluted plans often got us into trouble.” 

“Oh, please. You needed to live a little.”

“That’s rich coming from you, Mlle. goody-two-shoes.”

She scoffed. “I wasn’t _always_ a goody-two-shoes!”

“If anything, _I_ was a bad influence on _you._ ”

“That’s not how I remember it.”

“Then someone is remembering it _wrong._ ”

“My memory is perfectly fine, thank you very much.”

“Are you _sure_ , M? I think someone’s long term memory needs some reevaluation.”

“Oh? Please, enlighten me.”

Adrien hummed, drumming the fingers of his free hand along the table. “What about when we snuck out to the arcade at night? That was my idea.”

“It was. And it was a stupid one. No teenagers should be out that late. I could’ve been mugged or something.”

“But we weren’t.”

“Right. You can try to convince me you were this bad boy, but _I_ was the one to convince _you_ to sneak out and have a secret sleepover with me. And we got in so much trouble, remember?”

He snorted and nodded.

“Wait, what?”

Marinette blinked, turning to look at a gaping Alya. Oh. That was right. She never told Alya why she and Adrien were both grounded for two weeks. She evaded Alya’s questions for weeks, making different excuses until her best friend finally let it go.

“What? You never told Alya?” Adrien asked as he gawked at the two.

“No!” Alya nearly shouted, entirely shocked. She looked between the two of them. “What are you talking about?”

Adrien gave a shrug. “I used to go to Marinette’s after dinner all the time—mostly for cookies. After the bakery closed, we’d sit in her living room and play Mecha Strike III while eating whatever products didn’t sell at the bakery that day. _I_ was the one who begged to come over for the first time. Marinette thought it was a bad idea.”

She groaned, throwing up her hands. “Okay! I did! You’re the one who said your dad had a stick up his ass.”

He grinned. “Don’t you dare let him hear you say that now that you’re working with him.”

Marinette nearly paled. “Never.”

“Hello!” Alya interrupted, clearly irritated that they’d sidetracked from the story. “Finish telling me these deets.”

Adrien stirred his tea before taking a sip. “Well, one of those nights… I admit… Marinette convinced me to stay the night. It was the weekend and my father wasn’t home, so the first time it worked out. Neither of our parents caught us. Buuutt the next time I tried it wasn’t so lucky. Nathalie caught me sneaking in the front door at like four in the morning and was horrified. Insisting to know where I’d been, who I’d been with. Of course, I wasn’t going to rat out Marinette, so I made up some bull about being alone.”

“Aw… I didn’t know you tried to cover for me.”

“Of course, I did. I can’t remember what it was I tried to convince her. But clearly, Nathalie didn’t believe me and took my phone. Traced it back to where I’d been, which was Marinette’s. And she called Sabine and Tom. Needless to say… my ass was grass. So, was Marinette’s.”

Alya looked utterly offended. “I can’t believe you never told me about this,” she turned to Nino. “Did _you_ know?”

Nino held his hands up in surrender. “No! This is the first time I’m hearing about this too.”

Pointing her fork back and forth between the two of them, Alya stared them both down. “Did anything _happen_ between the two of you while you stayed the night?”

“Alya!”

“I have to know, Marinette!”

Adrien’s cheeks were rosy in an instant. “No! Nothing happened! Marinette was my best friend, and I wouldn’t have done anything to ruin that. Taking advantage of her would have been the scummiest thing I could have ever done.”

Marinette held up a hand. “Hold on… Why would you think you were taking advantage of me?”

“Because you told me you had a crush on someone, but that you couldn’t be with them. That you didn’t know how to tell them how you felt. And I couldn’t let my feelings get in your way of being with whoever that was. You seemed so upset about not being able to tell them. If I tried anything, it would have confused you.”

Her mind was racing. What the hell was he talking about!? _His_ feelings!? Did Adrien just assume all that time that she knew how he felt!? Hell, she didn’t believe he actually liked her back until _that morning!_

“Wait. You… had feelings for me?”

He waved his fork. “Well, duh. I had a big fat crush on you all through high school, Mari,” his brows pinched as he side-eyed her. “I… thought you knew that?”

“I did not.”

Nino’s eyes were wide. He tapped the table. “Hey, Alya. Why don’t we go see what drinks are at the bar?”

She looked at him. “What? After all this? I want to watch.”

Glowering at her, Nino stood from his seat. He quickly yanked Alya by the arm and dragged her away from the scene. She certainly did not go willingly. Marinette watched as her friend was carted off and trying to resist the entire time.

Adrien cleared his throat, staring down at his food. He ruffled his hair that way he always did when he was nervous. “I’m so sorry, Marinette. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I thought you knew.”

“I thought _you_ knew. I wasn’t exactly subtle as a teenager. I was awkward and stumbly around you when we first met. When we talked about crushes I just word vomited any time I spoke to you about it. How could you _not_ have figured it out?”

He stared at her. “What are you talking about?”

Marinette sighed, rubbing her hands along her face. “Adrien… I had a crush on you too.”

“Huh?”

She smacked her hands on the table. “I had a big fat crush on you Adrien Agreste! I loved every minute with you, had pictures of you on my walls! Wanted to do _anything_ I could to impress you. I was a bumbling and dorky mess around you!”

His voice was low as he glanced around. “People are staring…” he murmured.

Groaning, she buried her face into her arms on the table. “Sorry,” she replied, though her words were muffled.

“Marinette, I can’t believe I’m this much of an idiot. You were dropping hints that you liked me, and I completely took you literally. I really thought you liked someone else and you were confiding in me.”

Peaking up from her arms, she shook her head. “No, I wanted you to take the bait. And when you didn’t, I assumed you didn’t like me back and were playing dumb to spare my feelings.”

He snorted. “No, I really am just dumb. I hadn’t really had friends before, M. Let alone had a girl I liked… and her like me back, of all things.”

Marinette sat up, leaning back on the chair. “We’re both idiots.”

“Agreed.”

The silence was awkward as Adrien refused to meet her gaze. She didn’t blame him. This was painful. Knowing that they could have been together before they graduated… it could have changed everything. Their lives could have been completely different if they’d just been honest about their feelings.

And now that it was confirmed from Adrien himself that he had feelings for her…

She felt even worse for leaving. Guilt swelled into her throat, squeezing tightly. Her mouth was dry.

“That’s what you meant the other day…”

Glancing up him, her eyes were wide. “What?”

“When you said if anyone could have convinced you to stay in Paris it was me… that’s what you meant. That’s why you didn’t say goodbye or tell me who your internship was with. You didn’t want me to convince you to stay? Marinette, I would have _never_ gotten in the way of your dream. You know that.”

Sucking in a breath, she nodded. “I do know that. But if you had told me not to go, then I wouldn’t have. I was willing to do anything for you, Adrien. I cared so much for you…” she looked up shyly beneath her bangs. “I still do. I still care for you. I just knew it would hurt too much to say goodbye. So, I just didn’t. That’s also why I didn’t want to tell you I was coming here. Because I would have to leave again.”

Adrien was quiet but nodded in understanding.

“I broke your heart… and I’m so sorry. I don’t know how you could ever forgive me for what I’ve done.”

He reached out, taking her hand on the table. His thumb rubbed along her knuckle as he smiled. “I could never stay upset with you for long. And I was. I was heartbroken and confused. I felt betrayed that you wouldn’t tell me why you left. But I understand, Mari. If anyone knows how hard it is to say goodbye, it’s me.”

She placed her other hand over his with a gentle smile. “I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update? I'm shocked too.


	5. Part 5

Marinette woke the next morning bright eyed and bushy tailed. She felt so well rested and at peace. Adrien didn’t hate her… he forgave her. And that meant everything to her. After saying goodbye to Nino and Alya, he’d walked her home. It was nice. _Really_ nice. Adrien told her how excited he was to work with her and wear her designs. She told him of the design she’d made earlier that day, and he was so excited.

This was going to go well. What had she’d been so worried about?

When she approached Gabriel’s office the following afternoon, she sucked in a breath. She looked over her reflection in the glass door. Maybe, Adrien was onto something when he said her work attire was a bit uptight. It wasn’t that she enjoyed wearing pantsuits and pencil skirts… it was just typical business.

Opening the door, Gabriel was sitting at his desk with his hands folded in his lap. Marinette gave a polite smile and a nod of her head. “Good afternoon, Monsieur Agreste.”

“Greetings, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng. Please, take a seat.”

Marinette did as she was told, and Gabriel stood. Hm. She knew this tactic… he was trying to be bigger than her. But why?

“Do you have the designs I requested?”

Deciding to ignore his display of power, Marinette just politely smiled. “Of course,” she chimed. Marinette slid a large sketchbook across the desk.

Gabriel remained standing as he looked over her designs. His face remained neutral for most, a quirk of a smile or nod here and there. Until he reached the design she’d created for Adrien.

“What’s this?”

“Forgive me if it’s overstepping, sir. I created my own design for Adrien as well. He’s the featured model, and we both know he’s going to gather the most attention and—”

“Therefore, you’d like to use my son as a way to garner attention to _your_ design?”

Blinking, Marinette’s brow furrowed. “Excuse me?”

“Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, I don’t think it’s appropriate for you to design for Adrien. Considering your past with him, it’s not for the best.”

“My _past_ with him? My past with Adrien has absolutely nothing to do with our business collaboration. Mr. Fu wants us to feature our own designs as well. He believes in what I can do. I created a design for Adrien because he’s the lead, and I’ve created designs for him in the past when we were younger and he always loved them.”

“ _That_ is my point. I know you don’t realize, but you broke my son’s heart when you left years ago. Granted, I take some responsibility because I didn’t offer you an internship at Gabriel. I don’t want you hurting my son again.”

Standing from her seat, Marinette had heard enough. “This is very unprofessional of you, sir. And actually—not that mine or your son’s personal lives with one another is your business—Adrien and I had dinner last night. We discussed the past, and he understands the position I was in. I was _young_ and stupid for that matter. I didn’t know how to handle the feelings I had for Adrien and was very unaware of the feelings he had for me. Not to mention Lila Rossi started rumors about dating Adrien, and when they were never put to rest I assumed they were correct. I was _hurt_ because Adrien was my best friend, and I didn’t understand why he wouldn’t tell me. I knew he didn’t like her… so I assumed that it was for publicity. But the fact that he didn’t tell me made me believe there was something he was hiding. I now understand that wasn’t true.”

“Is that why you asked for Mlle. Rossi to not be involved in this? Because of petty high school drama with my son?”

Gaping, Marinette felt herself fuming. She’d learn that she couldn’t hold her tongue around these high fashion men. They’d try to put down anyone they could… and she wouldn’t let Gabriel do that.

She planted her hands on the desk, leaning closer to him. “Not that it is your _business_ because this is supposed to be a _professional_ business arrangement… Lila bullied me all through lycee and it continued through social media while we were at university. She _hated_ me for being best friends with Adrien because she wanted your son for herself. She is a _psycho_ and tried to get me _expelled!_ She claimed I pushed her down the stairs and tried to frame me for cheating and stealing. It all came out that she was lying eventually… but excuse me for not wanting to disrupt a professional environment because our mutual dislike. There would be tension, and I wouldn’t want to make anyone, _especially Adrien¸_ uncomfortable.”

Gabriel was smirking. _Why was he smirking!?_

“That’s good to hear. There were times when I worried that you were only friends with Adrien for fame since you wanted to be a designer.”

Glaring at him, Marinette crossed her arms. “If that were true then I wouldn’t have gone across the world to be a designer! I _never_ wanted Adrien to use his name to get me anywhere. I wanted to make my own way. I wanted this for _myself_. I wanted my _talent_ to speak for itself. Not that I knew an Agreste. Do you even know how many times Adrien begged me to let him bring my designs to you when we were teens? _A lot_. And I told him no every time. I refuse to be spoon fed. And I _refuse_ to be falsely accused of using your son for personal gain when you and I both know that’s a load of garbage!”

“Adrien can wear your design.”

Arms going slack by her sides, Marinette’s brows shot up. A stunned, slack-jawed expression was clear on her face. “Excuse me?”

“Adrien is free reign for you. He can wear whatever designs you decide. In fact, I’ll give you our combined designs, and you have creative control of everything. You can assign each model their assemble. I’ll give you everything to work with. In fact, I have some temporary offices open here, and I’ll have one ready for you when you return to begin working tomorrow.”

Marinette swore she was having mental whiplash. Waving her hands in front of her face, she shook her head to gather her thoughts. “Wait a minute. Were you grilling me to test me?”

Gabriel folded his arms behind his back. “Nathalie informed me of your run in with Adrien. I had to protect my son first.”

That was rich coming from him considering Adrien grew up miserably as a teenager. Feeling smothered and controlled… he did everything he could to escape. And Marinette was always there to help him.

It must have been written all over her face since Gabriel glanced away, seeming a bit guilty. Clearing his throat, he stood a little straighter. “Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, I know we don’t have the best history. Seeing as you were very close to Adrien, you’re very aware that my parenting after his mother passed was—questionable.”

She bit her tongue. Questionable was an understatement. Gabriel was downright cold and at times a bit heartless, not to mention manipulative as well. Marinette was the one who had been there for Adrien when his father upset him. When Gabriel was harsh, Marinette was the one he called for comfort.

“No disrespect, _sir_ , but I wouldn’t call it simply ‘questionable’ considering how much I had to be there for Adrien when you upset him.”

“I know I messed up. I handled Emilie’s passing poorly, and I understand that now. I can assure you that I’ve changed over the time you’ve been gone, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng.”

Marinette side-eyed him. “You were pretty harsh with me a moment ago, so I have my doubts.”

“I made enough mistakes with Adrien in the past… Allowing him to relive heartbreak because of a selfish opportunity for the brand is just foolish. I don’t doubt you care for my son, and you left for New York simply for your career. After seeing how much that hurt him, I wished I had put my fears of gossip aside and just offered you a job here.”

Sighing, she shrugged. “Too little, too late. I love my job at Miraculous. I appreciate my boss and co-workers. If there was some way I could possibly stay in Paris to be with Adrien, I would. But I just… I don’t know how.”

“Life has a way of working out, I assure you.”

She nodded with a hum. “Oh! On a different topic… Adrien mentioned a gala?”

Gabriel sucked in a breath before sighing. “Yes, we typically host a Christmas gala to go along with our collection. We do have one planned, but Wang has not answered any details.”

Hissing, she nodded. “Yeah… Mr. Fu can be a bit spacey at times. Have you tried to contact Wayzz?”

“Technically since Wang is CEO, we’re supposed to answer to him regarding any questions that would require funds.”

“Mr. Fu isn’t really involved at Miraculous like Wayzz is. Wayzz typically does all the decision making, while Mr. Fu tends to watch over the business as a whole,” she chuckled humorlessly, “that doesn’t mean he can’t fire us though. Even if Wayzz disagrees.”

Gabriel was simply staring at her before he crooked a brow. Clearing her throat, Marinette stood straighter. “What I’m saying is… if you’d like me to contact Wayzz then I can. I’m sure he could get in touch with his father.”

“I’d appreciate that, thank you.”

o~o~o~o

Maybe… She shouldn’t have offered to help. The Christmas Gala was officially on, and Marinette was entirely ill prepared. The biggest travesty being that she had nothing to wear. Did she have the time to create demo designs as well as sew her own dress for the gala? Well, it’d be pushing it but she could try. It’s not like she’d never bitten off more than she could chew before. It was kind of a habit of hers to stress herself out.

She was strolling through the halls of Gabriel, reading the directions to her temporary office that Nathalie had given her. These hallways were so much longer than the ones at Miraculous. A lot less self-explanatory. The halls at Miraculous were brightly colored so one always knew the direction they were headed and always knew what part of the building they were in. Gabriel was the complete opposite. Everything was sleek and silver. A bit dull, if you asked her. 

“Marinette!”

Freezing, she instantly spun around to see Adrien waving excitedly at her. She gave a hesitant wave in return, staying still and allowing him to catch up with her.

He huffed a breath as he reached her. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

Blinking, Marinette gaped at him. “R-Really?”

Adrien snorted a laugh, swiping the bangs out of his face. “Of course, I have. Why wouldn’t I?”

“Just because we’ve hashed everything out doesn’t mean you should feel obligated to see me. I hurt you, Adrien, you don’t have to pretend like that didn’t happen just because I’m here.”

He looked a bit offended. “‘Obligated’? Marinette, I don’t feel obligated to do anything. Do you know how much I’ve missed you?” Carefully, he took her hand. He smiled and pressed a kiss to her knuckle. Marinette squeaked in the back of her throat, her cheeks flushing as his eyes gleamed up at her. “I know you’ve missed me too.” 

“Y-Yes. I have.”

Keeping her hand in his, he stood. When had he gotten so tall? Why did men keep growing until they were twenty-five? That’s so unfair. He shouldn’t be allowed to be a head taller than her. His fingers squeezed hers, making Marinette’s heart sing.

“Then don’t push me away. We’ve had a rough few years, sure. But let’s just put that aside. I _want_ to spend time with you. Why don’t we have dinner again tonight?”

Feeling her shoulders deflate, Marinette gingerly pulled her hand from his and placed it over her chest. “As wonderful as that sounds, I don’t have the time. I’m sorry.”

Adrien’s smile never faltered, bowing his head and lifting his hands in surrender. “Alright, I get it. You’re in Paris for business, not pleasure. Sooooo, what if I bring the pleasure to you while you work?”

“What?”

“I have keys to this place. While you’re working this evening—and I know you’ll be here after they lock up because that’s how you are—how about I bring some take-out and we can eat in your office? If you have any demo designs done, I can even try them on.”

That… sounded wonderful. How could she deny him when he had those shimmering emerald irises gazing at her with such excitement? He was so proud of his plan. She couldn’t resist the twitch of her lips into a smile, no matter how hard to she tried.

With a sigh and a fond roll of her eyes, Marinette caved into his whims. “Okay, fine.”

“Great!” he exclaimed, clasping his hands together. He paused, eyes widening as he seemed a little embarrassed at the outburst. His hand went behind his head, fiddling with his hair. It was good to see that some nervous habits never changed. He really was the same adorable Adrien she knew years ago. “U-Um, w-what would you like?”

“I know you’re fond of Chinese?”

“That’s not too cliché?”

“Why? Because I’m half Chinese or because that’s everyone’s go to for take-out?”

His eyes shifted. “Uh… both?”

Marinette couldn’t hold back a giggle. “It’s fine. I’ve actually gotten quite used to eating Chinese take-out with Alya after work.”

“Chinese it is then!”

She laughed lightly. “You’re still a dork.”

“Excuse me?” he placed a hand on his chest in mock offense. “I’m a top male model in this industry. I am nothing but a smooth operator.”

“Oh, yeah? If you’re so smooth then you should go to the Christmas Gala with me.”

What…. What the hell!? Why did she just let those words slip out of her mouth!? _Where_ had that even come from!?

Adrien blinked, mouth falling ajar for a moment. He seemed to gather his wits before crossing his arms. “Oh? Then maybe I should!”

How was he still cute when he was pretending to be argumentative? She could see the tinge of blush on his cheeks. Smiling, she nodded. “We’ll discuss the details over dinner then.”

With that… she left a stunned Adrien Agreste in the hallway as she finally reached her office at the dead end. She turned back to see him still standing there with a goofy grin on his face. Marinette couldn’t resist giving him a coy wave of her fingers before walking into the clear glass door.

She had a lot of years of teasing to catch up on. If anything, she’d make sure her teen hood crush would be eating out of her palm by the end of these two weeks… and she’d love every minute of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to finish this damn story within the next week or so if it KILLS ME!!!1


	6. Part 6

Models’ headshots were spread out across the sleek, white desk Marinette was using in her barrowed office. She had each assemble pinned up on the board behind her as she held up each model’s pictures by the outfits to compare.

Who would look best in what? What compliments their body type? Skin color? More masculine or feminine? Gabriel put all of this in her hands… if it failed then it was on her. Maybe, he still had that bit of devious edge to him even though he claimed to have changed his ways. Putting all of the creative control and pressure on a designer who was still learning her ropes seemed much like a Gabriel test. And if it went to hell he could swoop in and save the day. Or just put the blame on her.

“I see that organized chaos is still your thing, hm?”

Marinette yelped, one of the headshots almost flying from her grip as she jumped. Spinning around, she shot Adrien a glare as he stood with a wide beam. The take-out bags were hung on his arms. How hungry was he!? That was a _lot_ of food.

“Is it after closing time already?” she asked, spinning to look out the window to see it was, in fact, dark outside.

Adrien chuckled, setting the bags down on the one empty space on the desk. “Well, I’m here. Which means it’s time for you to take a break.”

Sighing, she glanced down at all the headshots strewn about. Maybe, he was right. She was stressing herself out trying to perfect this. As Adrien began taking containers from the sacks, he seemed to be glancing across the photos.

Smirking, he glanced up at her with a quirk of him grow. There was a knowing glint in his eyes. “No Lila, I see?”

Marinette scoffed as she collected the headshots into a pile. “Don’t dare utter her name,” she grumbled.

He snorted. “It’s for the best. Despite you two not getting along… she’s also a nightmare to work with.”

“Oh?” Marinette rolled up her chair as Adrien placed a box in front of her. “Do tell?”

“What’s to tell? You know how she is. It’s been a few years but she’s still the same compulsive and attention seeking lair she was when you left. Some things never change, and I can assure you that Lila is a constant.”

Breaking apart her chopsticks, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Of course, she is.”

“I’m sorry about that drama with her, by the way,” he said, a nervous edge in his tone.

Marinette slurped her noodles, shooting him a look. “Which drama?”

“The rumors about her dating me.”

She nearly _choked._ Clearing her throat with a heaving cough, she tried to keep the contents down. Adrien looked panicked as he frantically reached across the desk give her a soothing pat on the shoulder.

“S-Sorry,” she croaked out. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

“I shouldn’t have spring that on you…”

She shook her head. “No, no, it’s okay. I…” Marinette sighed, sucking in a breath. She had to tell him the truth. “That’s another reason why I left.”

Adrien’s eyes widened. “You left Paris because you thought I was dating Lila?”

“No! I mean—that wasn’t the _only_ reason. Miraculous was offering me a great opportunity. I thought it’d just be easier that way. If I was gone, you could be happy with Lila without any issue from me.”

Gazing at her softly, he placed a hand over hers. “So… you ran away.”

“What!?”

“Hey,” he squeezed her fingers, “don’t get upset. My intentions aren’t to come at you accusingly. But you did, M. You ran away from your problems instead of just _asking_ me. If there’s anything I regret in this world, it’s never telling you how I felt in lycée. Maybe even sooner. I’m sorry.”

Marinette didn’t want to admit he was right. She only did what she thought was best for both of them. But she was young. And dumb. Very dumb.

“I shouldn’t have left. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t think that way… Of course, I wish you’d stayed, but look at you! You’re in charge of one of the fashion industry’s most famous projects. I’m so proud of you,” he said, beaming.

She gave a shy smile. “Thank you.”

“I’m so happy you’re here.”

“Me too.”

A silence fell over them as they ate. There was an occasional giggle following a loud slurp of noodles. Which eventually led to them making obnoxious noises while eating to see who could make the other laugh first. Adrien caved first.. which somehow led to a chopstick sword fight, but she wasn’t complaining, nonetheless. He made her feel like a goofy teenager again. Her heart fluttered when he laughed. When he smiled that genuine smile that was such a rare gem to see.

She still had it bad for him.

Adrien must have felt the same.

They paused in their actions, gazing at one another from across the desk. Marinette simply gaped at him, unsure of how to comprehend all the emotions flooding back and sinking her heart into her stomach. Her cheeks felt hot. Was she blushing? Just from looking at him?

He swallowed thickly, gaze flicking down at the table before meeting her stare. “Marinette,” he began before clearing his throat. “I want to pick up where we left off. With everything out in the open. We’ve talked about how we felt… and nothing has changed for me. I’ve dated other women… and no one has ever made me feel like you do.”

BREATHE, Marinette! _Breathe!!!_

Her jaw went slack. She opened her mouth to speak, but words just wouldn’t come. Her brain was a jumbled mess. So many thoughts were rummaging through trying to make their way to the surface. Until one thought finally emerged.

Yes, yes, _yes!!_

“That’s—That’s all I’ve ever wanted. Being a fashion designer has always been my dream, but it’s always felt like something was missing without you.”

Smiling, Adrien cupped her cheek. He brushed his thumb beneath her eye. “You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that.”

Marinette couldn’t help the girlish giggle that bubbled from her lips. He really knew how to make her swoon. She wanted Adrien to be eating from her palm, but it seemed it was definitely the other way around.

“I guess this means you’re definitely going to be my date to the gala then?”

He grinned. “Most certainly.”

o~o~o~o

Days had passed by and it was finally time to start getting this fashion show on the road. The promo photoshoot was two days away. Marinette was quite proud of her model assignments, and Gabriel approved of each choice.

All the models were at Gabriel getting their fittings. Marinette could barely focus since there was so much to do. She truly understood the “chicken with its head cut off” saying. If anything, she was definitely frantic.

Tikki must have taken notice. Her mentor suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders.

“Hey, hey,” Tikki cooed, “look at me.”

Marinette did as she was told, boring her gaze into Tikki’s own bluebell eyes.

“You’re doing great. Get some water and take a breath, okay? I’ll join you. There’s a water cooler just over there. Let the assistants do their job. You’re not an intern anymore, Marinette. You’re allowed to supervise sometimes.”

Taking in a deep, shaky breath, Marinette nodded. She allowed herself to be tugged off for a calming moment. Tikki poured her a cup from the tap, handing it to her. Marinette quickly gulped down the liquid with a harsh heave. Tikki had barely filled her own cup before Marinette was going back for more.

Sipping on her water, slowly this time, Marinette scanned the room. The assistants were pinning, measuring, and poking around. There hadn’t been any disasters thus far. She did need to get Adrien alone at some point for him to try on her original design that wasn’t collaborated with Gabriel.

Tikki paused, gripping onto Marinette’s arm. “Um, who is _that?_ ”

Marinette glanced up from behind her cup. Adrien was walking in the spacious design room, pushing open the double doors. He wasn’t dressed in his assemble yet, but she couldn’t wait to see him in the derby she made. She was excited that she got to create the derby herself rather than the team. Not sewing and creating everything by her own hands was something Marinette was still getting used to.

“That’s Adrien, Tikki. You know what he looks like.”

Her mentor shook his head. “Not Adrien… the one beside him.”

Next to Adrien… there was a man with jet black hair, tanned skin, and eyes so green they rivaled Adrien’s. He was definitely tall, dark, and handsome type. He seemed like he didn’t want to be there at all. There was a frown pooching on his lips, and his hands were shoved in his black hoodie’s pockets. His shoulders were hunched. The man seemed quite disgruntled. But, Marinette couldn’t quite put her finger on who that could be.

Marinette hummed. “I’m not sure.”

When Adrien reached her, the man followed closely behind. The blonde grinned, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckle. “Good morning, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng,” he chimed.

So formal. It was… weird.

Giggling, she just shook her head. “Hi, Adrien. How has your morning been?”

“Chaotic as usual when dealing with fittings,” he said with a shrug. He gave Tikki a curt nod as a greeting. “Hello, Mlle. Cook. It’s good to see you. It’s been a long time since our paths last crossed.”

Tikki waved him off. “And I told you to call me Tikki back then too.”

“Right,” he said with a nervous chuckle. The man beside Adrien bumped the blonde and cleared his throat. “Oh!” Adrien hissed. “Sorry, this is Plagg,” he told them as he gestured to the man with his hand. “This this my new bodyguard I told you about, Marinette.”

Tikki chimed in quickly reaching out a hand to Plagg with a smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

With a scrunch of his nose, Plagg begrudgingly took Tikki’s hand and sighed as he shook it. “Yeah, you too.”

Adrien glowered at him. “Plagg! Have some manners, man!”

Plagg rolled his eyes as he shoved his hand back in his pocket. “Kid, I’m just here to make sure no one kicks your ass. And I see there’s a snack bar that _better_ have cheese. Preferably camembert.”

As Plagg started to slump away, Adrien called after him. “You have an unhealthy obsession with cheese, Plagg!”

Plagg’s response was a middle finger.

Marinette simply watched the exchange in amusement. Glancing between Adrien and Tikki, she quickly clasped her hands together. “Well! He’s certainly a ball of sunshine, isn’t he?”

“He’s obnoxious,” her mentor grumbled. “Why are the cute ones always assholes?”

Adrien laughed, ruffling his hair. “He’s not so bad once you get to know him.”

“He flipped you off,” Marinette piped in.

“He does that.”

She let out a lighthearted laugh. “Sounds like your new bodyguard is an interesting one.”

Adrien shrugged. “Plagg might be a little bit of a jerk, but he does his job. He’s suckered punched a dude at a party for me once. And he has no qualms about who is attacking me, men or women. A girl tried to throw herself at me, and he quickly intervened and got between us. He _shoved_ her. Threw her to the ground.”

“Damn,” Marinette said with a whistle.

“And he lets me go where I want, so I can’t really complain. He even encourages me to break Father’s rules,” he snorted.

“Hm, I do recall you telling me something like that before. You two must be a match in deviant heaven.” 

“You could say that.”

Marinette simply smiled as she gazed up at him. It was so nice to be with him. She couldn’t let herself get distracted, but she couldn’t help but take a moment to enjoy his company. Clearly, he wanted them to take this one day at a time to just enjoy one another. Marinette didn’t want to deny him that. Especially since she wouldn’t be here much longer. It was hard to believe a week had already flown by. Final alterations were the next two days, then the photoshoot, the fashion show, and lastly was the gala. While she was going to be spending all those days with Adrien, technically… they wouldn’t have time alone. Time to be together. So, she wouldn’t take a single moment for granted.

Dare she say he was the love of her life… the last thing she wanted to do was blow this.

Adrien turned to her, smiling as he did so. “Where do you need me?”

“Fitting room in five,” she sputtered out quickly.

He nodded. Glancing out at the groups of assistants, he ran a hand through his hair. “Well, it sure is busy.”

“Organized chaos like you said, right?” she asked with a chuckle.

Adrien laughed with a nod. “Yeah. It’s Marinette styled chaos.”

“I need you to come to my office later for a fitting, okay? Your father approved of my original design, and I wanted to make it myself. It’s mostly done, but I want to make sure everything fits.”

“Are you trying to get me alone, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng?” he asked with a sly wink.

Marinette smirked, tapping him on the nose. “Maybe, I am.”

His cheeks pinked a little as his eyes crossed to look at her finger. “That’s pretty scandalous of such a high class designer.”

She loved that she could make him blush. It was fun to flirt with him. If only she’d done this years ago.

Marinette: 1

Adrien: 0

“I’m sure it’ll be fine. Now, go! You have an outfit to go try on! I promise this derby doesn’t have feathers on it this time.”

Adrien snickered and plopped a hand on her head. “My hero,” he cooed teasingly. His hand slowly trailed down her crown and down through the loose strands of her raven hair. “You should wear your hair down more often. It’s beautiful.”

She felt her face heat instantly. Dammit!

Marinette: 1

Adrien: 100

She watched him walk off, a proud smirk etching along his lips. He could be so full of himself sometimes, especially when it came to getting her flustered these days. It was fine… She’d try to get him back next time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya girl about to post 3 chapters of this LOL


	7. Part 7

Adrien was sitting at her desk, waiting for her to arrive when she walked in the door. She laughed at his feet propped up on the desk and his hands clasped behind his head.

“It’s about time someone got here,” he teased with a grin.

Marinette scoffed as she sat her materials down in the nearby chair. “Excuse me, one of us has a lot more work to do besides stand around and look pretty.”

“I’m offended, Marinette, really.”

“You sure sound it.”

“I am. Truly. My heart aches with pain.”

“You should have gone into theatre instead of modeling with all of that drama.”

Adrien barked a laugh and righted himself in the chair. He smacked the desk as he snorted. He _would_ find that joke funny. His sense of humor was genuinely horrible at times.

Marinette rolled her eyes before fondly shaking her head. She strode over to the mannequin, pulling the top from its shoulders. Holding it up, she grinned. “Ready?”

Nodding, he stood. Adrien began stripping himself of his overshirt first then his shirt beneath. Marinette tried her best to not note the fact that he was shirtless, and they were alone. Keeping herself in check was most important. Couldn’t start feeling him up… no matter how much she may have wanted to.

Flickering her eyes away, she handed him the top. She heard him hum in amusement.

“Do you find me so irresistible that you can’t even gaze upon my bare beauty?”

“If you don’t stop talking like that, I _will_ hit you.”

“I’m so abused.”

With a snort, she kept her eyes turned away. Not that she wasn’t tempted to look at his reflection in the glass door… but Adrien seemed to notice _everything_. He’d definitely notice if she did.

Next she handed him the pants to accompany his top, she kept her back turned. Adrien wasn’t very modest, apparently. He was just openly changing in the middle of this office where anyone could walk down the hall and see. Which she hoped _would not_ happen at all. If someone saw Adrien alone with her in the office, there could be ramifications for that.

“Well, how does it look?”

Marinette spun quickly, giving Adrien a once over. The assemble complimented him well, just like she thought it would. She smiled. “It looks wonderful!”

Adrien looked over his reflection, grinning as he did so. “I never expect anything less from you. You’re truly amazing, Marinette. And so, so talented. I’m so glad you chose me to wear this.”

Flushing, she waved a hand. “I-It’s no biggie! I mean—of course, I chose you? Y-You’re the lead!”

Leaning over her, he brushed two fingers beneath her chin to tip her face upward. His smile was so blinding. The soft emerald gaze sent her heart ablaze. “We both know that’s not why you chose to design for me.”

“Oh? And why do you think that is?”

“Because you wanted to spend time with meee,” he sang.

Marinette glanced away but didn’t move from his grip. “In your dreams, Agreste.”

Snickering, he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Marinette: 1

Adrien: 1,000

Dammit!

He released her chin as Marinette looked down to fiddle with his top. She checked the fabric, making sure nothing was pulling too tightly. She noted that one of the buttons may have been a little loose, so she’d have to fix that. While doing her checks, she glanced up and noticed that there was a tinge of blush coating Adrien’s cheeks.

So, he _was_ affected by her touching him? At least that was something. Not worth the same amount of points that he’d scored against her. But she could at least make a small mental victory.

Keeping her hands pressed to her chest, she smiled up at him. “Does everything feel alright?”

“Y-Yeah, nothing feels stiff.”

“Alright, good. That means I can start taking out the pins and sewing it together. Thanks, Adrien. Why don’t you take it off? _Carefully._ ”

“Sure.”

As Adrien carefully rid himself of the clothes, handing them piece by piece back to Marinette so she could gently place them back on the mannequin. Despite wanting to check him out… she kept her eyes forward. Which Adrien apparently found amusing since he snorted at her.

“You’re not even going to peak?”

“That’s inappropriate, you know. This is a professional environment.”

“Uh huh.”

She wanted to glare at him, but she suspected she was being baited. The last thing she’d do was let him trick her into checking him out. No matter how much she wanted to.

Once Adrien righted himself, he cleared his throat and she glanced over her shoulder at him. He smirked, making her heart flutter in her chest. No one human should be that attractive. Sometimes it pissed her off that he could make her knees weak. It was so unfair that he looked so good. Especially all grown up.

“Sooo,” he began as he leaned on her desk. “About the gala…”

Oh no. Here it was… He was changing his mind. Didn’t want to be seen with her. Or Gabriel thought it’d be better if he went with someone else.

“What color are you wearing? I’d really like to match with you.”

Oh.

Marinette let out a relieved laugh. “Um.. I don’t actually know?”

Blinking, his jaw went slack. “ _You_ , Marinette Dupain-Cheng, don’t have a dress for the gala? I’m _shocked_. You always knew what you were wearing to anything you were invited to.”

“Yeah, when I’m not running a fashion shoot,” she sighed, plopping down in her office chair.

Adrien hummed, chewing his bottom lip as he seemed lost in thought. Tilting his head, he smiled lightly. “What if—What if _I_ picked out our clothes?”

“W-What?”

He crouched down next to her, putting a gentle hand on her knee. “C’mon, M. Like you said, some of us have more to do than stand around and look pretty. You’re really busy. I know you’d love to design and make your own dress for the gala, but you don’t have the time. We both know it.”

“I can do it.”

His sympathetic gaze made her want to give in. “Marinette…”

She flopped her head onto the desk, burying her face into her arms with a frustrated groan. “I don’t get it. I used to be able to manage so many projects at once.”

His hand moved to her back, rubbing in comforting circles. “That’s part of growing up, you know. We have to accept that we can’t do _everything._ Please, trust me. I’ll make sure you’re the Christmas princess of the ball.”

Marinette couldn’t help but giggle, peaking one eye up at him. “You promise?”

“Promise,” he said as he stood and placed a hand on his heart.

Sitting up, she crossed her arms. “And you’re _sure_ you won’t have me looking more like a pumpkin rather than a princess?”

“Your faith in me is astounding.”

Marinette let out a dramatic sigh, placing a hand over her forehead. “I _guess_ , I can let you find me a gown, fair prince.”

Taking her hand, he pressed a light kiss to her knuckle as he did earlier that day. “It’ll be my honor, your highness.”

o~o~o~o

Photoshoot day was just as chaotic as Marinette expected. There were models roaming everywhere. So many overzealous photographers being a bit eccentric with their posing, but luckily Gabriel was handling that aspect.

Marinette had to look every assemble up and down, checking for any minute detail that could be out of place. She had to direct the makeup artists, making sure the face matched the design. If she didn’t like a lipstick shade, how thick the lashes were, or anything that made the outfit not match the idea in her head, she sent them back.

It was dire that everything was perfect. Nothing could go wrong. She had to stay focused, make sure that everything went according to plan.

She couldn’t help but watch with a bit of pride when she saw each picture pop up on the monitor. Her models she chose truly complimented the designs. They all seemed confident in their attire. Of course, Adrien looked amazing. He had his camera smolder mastered for sure. It made her a bit light headed when he glanced her way with that handsome smirk, but she was able to keep her wits thankfully. He tipped his derby hat in her direction as he skirted off to change into the next outfit.

When he returned to the group sporting her original design, Marinette almost fainted. It turned out so well. He worked it so great. God, she was proud of herself. And heavily attracted to this young man. There was a chance she could be drooling and needed to keep her jaw shut to prevent too much swooning. Adrien already had her crawling after him. No need to boost his ego further.

Gabriel approached her, clearing his throat. “It appears everything has gone smoothly for the day, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng. I trust that you’re confident in the show tomorrow?”

Nodding, she smiled. “Yes, sir. I’m sure Wayzz and Wang Fu will both be pleased the results.”

“I see to it that they do. Your talent as a young designer is exquisite.”

“Thank you, M. Agreste.”

Humming, he gave her a sideways glance. “My son has seemed very— _lively_ the last few days. Would you happen to have anything to do with this?”

“Uh—well… M-Maybe? But I can assure you that Adrien and I have kept our relationship entirely professional. I didn’t want anything to disrupt this project, sir.”

“But you _are_ attending the gala with him, yes?”

Marinette nodded. “Yes, I am.”

Gabriel smirked, one that looked all too similar to the one his son sometimes wore. “Then I’ll be seeing you there.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love writing Marinette and Adrien flirting lol.


	8. Part 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Psst. I just posted 3 parts. Make sure you read parts 6 & 7 before this one!

“Today’s the big day, Marinette!” Alya cheered as she arrived at the Dupain-Cheng’s for breakfast. “Thank you for getting such great tickets for Nino and me. We’ve been excited all week!”

Marinette laughed as she took a bite out her banana. “I’m sure. You love that I can pull strings for you.”

Smiling and shooting finger guns, Alya grinned. “You know it, girl,” she chimed as she took a seat next to her at the island.

“I can’t believe it’s all over after today. These last few weeks have been so wonderful,” Marinette replied with a sigh.

Alya placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Hey, it’s not _all_ over. You still have a gala to attend with a certain model~” she sang.

Giggling, she waved her off. “I know, but I mean… we’re going to be back in New York in less than a week. It’s _weird_ to think about. I’ve enjoyed being here. I’ve missed home, you know?”

The grimace on Alya’s face spoke wonders. Marinette felt a pang in her chest. Sighing, Alya glanced up at her with a sympathetic look. “About that…”

“You’re staying here, aren’t you?”

Sucking in a breath and closing her eyes, Alya gave an almost painful nod. “It’s the perfect time… Our lease is up this month, so I just won’t have to resign it with you.”

“I understand, Al. You want to be with Nino. What kind of friend would I be if I got in the way of that?”

“You’re not mad?”

Marinette shook her head with a forced laugh. “Why would I be mad? If anything, I wish I could stay here too.”

Alya took her hands. “Then stay. You want to be with Adrien, don’t you?”

“I can’t,” she muttered. “I have a job and a life in New York, Alya. How can I just give that up?”

“Look, girl. You chose your career over Adrien once already, and he’s forgiven you. But if you chose it over him _again,_ you may not get the chance to be with him. Adrien’s a romantic guy and will forgive and forget a lot. However, everyone has their limit.”

Sighing, Marinette pushed her food away. “Maybe, Adrien and I just weren’t meant to be…”

o~o~o~o

Marinette peaked through the curtains. The seats were filled to the brim. High fashion executives, designers, models… all of them were in their seats. She could see Alya and Nino in the second row in their reserved seats. In the front row sat Wayzz and Wang Fu, both at the end of the catwalk.

She also noticed Audrey Bourgeois with her old lycée classmate, Chloe, in tow. Marinette snorted in distaste. Chloe had always been a snob and seeing her at a fashion show with her famous mother didn’t surprise Marinette one bit. Her nose was stuck so far in the air she could probably smell trash from a block away.

A light tap to her shoulder made Marinette yelp and flounder away from the curtains. She spun to see Tikki standing there with a grin.

“Nervous?”

“Extremely,” Marinette whined.

Tikki patted her shoulder, grinning as she did so. “Everything looks amazing, Marinette. Don’t doubt yourself. If anyone has faith in you, it’s me.”

Smiling, Marinette surged forward and captured her mentor in a hug. “Thank you, Tikki. For everything.”

Returning the hug, her mentor smiled and squeezed her tightly. She pulled away and pressed a small kiss to Marinette’s head. “You have been the best protégé I could have ever asked for. I’ve never trained someone as talented as you. This is your future, Marinette. This is only the first of many.”

Marinette swallowed thickly as Tikki traipsed away. Normally, Marinette would agree wholeheartedly and be ecstatic by her mentor’s encouraging words. But after this morning… she wasn’t so sure. The thought of going back to New York without her best friend, the thought of abandoning Adrien again, the thought of saying goodbye to her parents once more? The ideas didn’t sit well in her stomach.

But what choice did she have?

She worked so hard to get where she was. How could she give that all up? It hurt so much to think about… Leaving Adrien again (and actually having to say goodbye this time) sounded painful. Worse than ripping off a band aid.

Marinette sucked in a breath, tapping her cheeks. No time for those time of thoughts. She had to focus on this. Her career could potentially be on the line if this event didn’t go well. Despite not knowing what her choice would be, she still at least wanted it to be of her own volition and not because she was fired.

The models began to gather, lining up in their respected places. When Adrien noticed her, he quickly waved to catch her attention. Marinette couldn’t resist him even if she wanted to and headed towards him.

“Hey, Mari. How’s everything going?”

She shrugged, giving a slight smile. “It’s going. No catastrophes yet, thankfully. Fingers crossed,” she chimed, holding up the gesture.

“I’ll see you after everything is done?”

Booping him lightly on the nose, she nodded. “You will.”

o~o~o~o

When the lights dimmed and the wordless holiday tunes started playing, Marinette couldn’t help but be giddy with excitement. These were her designs! This had become her baby that she’d nurtured and created. The thrill of sharing this project with the world was almost unbearable.

She watched on the backstage monitor as the models began strutting down the catwalk. So many colors of red and green trotted down the stage. The theme was clear, but the assembles were still fashionable. They were clearly made for holiday office parties, a Christmas dinner, or any other profession holiday event.

Cueing each model in her headset, she made sure that there was enough space for each model to strut, pose, and start on their way back before the next model began down the cat walk. When Adrien strode out, she couldn’t help the grin that twitched along her lips. No matter how much she tried to hide her smile, it was difficult.

Adrien did his practiced catwalk with ease. It was clear he was the veteran of the group. He wore a smirk as he stared down the camera. It almost felt as if he was looking straight at her. When he reached the end of the runway, he tipped the derby with a grin. He spun on his heel, striding back down towards the curtains. Adrien was the only model with an outfit change, so he had to run back to grab Marinette’s original design.

The next male model started down the runway as Marinette instructed. Adrien made it back behind the curtains and off the screen. When he was out of sight on the monitor, she heard shoes quickly pattering towards her. He passed her with a cheeky wave.

“I’ll do your design justice, my lady!”

She snorted. “‘My lady?’ That’s a new one.”

“I like it the best!” he called as he strode out of sight to change clothes.

Marinette shook her head in amusement, turning back to the monitor and quickly realizing she almost missed the next model’s cue. “Go,” she spat worriedly into the mic.

She sagged with relief when the next model appears from the curtains rather swiftly. Adrien was such a distraction! But she couldn’t let him get to her. She signaled a few more models before Adrien came barreling back through in her design. Marinette was thrilled with how it turned out.

He did a little twirl before walking up to her. “So? Is it what you expected?”

“It’s even better. It suits you well.”

“Thanks. My favorite designer made it.”

“Don’t let your father hear you say that,” she snorted.

He barked a laugh as she told another model to head onto the stage. “You’re on in five,” she told him.

Hissing, he hunched. “I guess I’m needed then. I’ll return to you later!”

“I’ll be waiting,” she cooed teasingly with a cheeky wave of her fingers.

He stuck his tongue out as he rounded the corner. She giggled before telling the next model to take the stage. As the last of the models strode down the catwalk, she cued Adrien for his final appearance. He walked out in the center rather than on the side. No one else would be coming after him, so it was fine if he took up the runway with his presence.

When he reached the end of the stage, he struck his poses. Sticking his hands in his pockets, running his hands through his hair with that signature smirk, and doing a little spin. He turned before striding back down the catwalk.

The audience clapped as all of the models retook the stage. The models waved goodbye to the viewers with smiles on their faces. Some even blew a couple kisses.

First, Gabriel took the stage after the models disappeared behind the curtains. He thanked everyone for their attendance and discussed how honored how he was to be working with Miraculous. He thanked his crew and the models.

Next, out came Wayzz. And this is where Marinette’s heart fluttered with nerves. She was about to go on stage. As a lead designer. For the first time ever!!

“I can’t take credit for the creativity that was done here tonight. I’m entirely pleased to have put one our newest designers on this project with Gabriel. She is immensely talented and amazing for such a young and upcoming. Ladies and gentleman, may I introduce: Mrs. Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

Marinette felt weak as she walked out on the stage. The lights blinded her vision so much she could hardly see the audience. Wayzz handed her the mic, which she took with a nod and a “thank you.”

She gazed out in the audience, seeing her parents’ proud faces and Alya giving her a thumbs up.

“Thank you, Wayzz. And thank you to everyone who is here tonight. Thank you to the Gabriel staff and models who worked with me. As well as a huge thank you to Gabriel Agreste himself for having faith in me to be lead designer. I grew up here in Paris. I lived here until I started working at Miraculous after I graduated, so I know a lot about the Gabriel brand. I knew that this was an honorable position to be put in, especially for someone who grew up here in Paris and admired Gabriel since I was a child. I’m very proud of what we’ve shown you today. Despite being one of the youngest designers to be in charge of a project this huge, I believe I delivered just as much as someone older than me would have. So, again… just thank you. To everyone.”

The crowd erupted into cheer. Marinette gave a shy laugh as she handled the microphone back to Wayzz. He finished up the speeches, thanking the models and staff more specifically.

When Marinette left the stage, Tikki enveloped her in a tight hug. “Oh, that was wonderful, Marinette! I’m so proud of you.”

Smiling, she nodded into her mentor’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm determined to get this CHRISTMAS story done before January is over LOL! I'm HOPING the last part will be up tomorrow! 
> 
> Wish me luck.


	9. Part 9

Marinette couldn’t believe the pure beauty of the dress Adrien presented her with. It was the perfect Christmas dress. It was red and elegant. There was synthetic, white fur trim around the collar and puffy sleeves. So much glitter and sparkle covering the skirt of the ball gown. It was gorgeous, and she couldn’t believe it was hers to wear.

“I… Adrien, this is beautiful. I almost don’t want to borrow it,” she said with a laugh.

Adrien cocked a brow, glancing between her and the dress. “Um. Marinette, I bought this for you.”

Her eyes nearly bulged out of her skull. “You—wait. That’s _mine?_ ”

“Yeah. Custom made just for you. You gave me your measurements, so I decided…why not?”

Mouth agape, Marinette frantically shook her head. “I-I can’t accept this!”

“Well. No one else will fit it as well as you do. You might as well, right?” he teased with a grin.

“I can’t believe you spent so much on me…”

“It wasn’t too much. I told them who the dress was for, apparently they’d heard of you. She got so excited she gave me a discount. Oh! She wanted me to tell you she admires your work, by the way.”

“I-I—wow… I have _fans?_ ”

Adrien barked a laugh. “Yes, Marinette, most talented designers do. Considering you are one, it shouldn’t be a shock.”

Marinette continued staring at the dress, glancing between it and Adrien as she was completely awestruck. She couldn’t believe he’d gotten her something so beautiful. She just assumed when he was going to get her a dress, it’d be something sitting around at Gabriel. But clearly… she was incorrect. It only made her internal struggle rear its ugly head once more. Marinette was so unsure of what to do. She was supposed to be flying back to New York in two days. But was that really what she wanted?

“Thank you, Adrien. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

His eyes were soft when he gazed at her. “Of course, anything for you.”

She wanted to melt. The floor could just swallow her up, and she’d be thrilled. The last thing she wanted to think about was how much she could potentially hurt this man that she cared so much about. What was she doing to _do?_

o~o~o~o

Alya didn’t know either. Typically, her best friend was full of worldly advice. Always had the answer to every solution. But her she was, just as clueless as Marinette at what the young designer’s next course of action would be.

“You’re really going to give up your career as a New York journalist to stay here in Paris?” Marinette asked as she munched on her pasta.

Alya took a bite, chewing with a shrug. “Yeah. I haven’t been happy, M. I just didn’t want to admit it. I missed home, missed Nino. My parents, my sisters… I wanted to be back here. New York is amazing, and I’m happy for the opportunities it has given me. But it’s not home.”

“I guess you’re right…”

“Hey,” Alya patted her shoulder, smiling. “Whatever you chose to do, I support you, girl. You need to do what’s best for you. Don’t make choices based on what I’m doing, or anyone else for that matter. You’re always putting everyone else first. Or you job first. Do what _Marinette_ wants, for once. This opportunity has been amazing for you, but it’s not the only option.”

Gulping, Marinette couldn’t make words. Nothing seemed to easily slide off her tongue. She simply started at her pasta bowl, idly debating in her own head. What was the best decision for herself? She had a hunch. But committing to the idea was terrifying at the least. Either way she was giving up something she loved. It was a lose-lose situation for her.

“I don’t know what to do, Al.”

Rubbing her back, Alya smiled. “You’ll figure it out. You always do.”

o~o~o~o

Marinette had never been to a gala before. Nevertheless, the Agreste Christmas Gala of _all_ galas. Stepping out of the limo onto the carpet splayed along the front gates of the Agreste Mansion, Marinette could see Adrien politely greeting guests at the door. His eyes met hers. Face lighting up, he beamed at her. Marinette couldn’t help the way her heart pounded in her ears. He was wearing her derby…

Carefully, Marinette made her way down the carpet, holding the skirt of her dress. She kept her gaze on Adrien, he watched her thoughtfully. She’d gracefully almost made it up the stairs, until her heel caught on the edge of the last step, tripping her. Adrien quickly caught her, snickering down at her with a smirk.

“Some things never change, huh?”

Flushing, Marinette pursed her lips. Her hands were flat on his chest as she gazed up at him. It was such a familiar position. He often caught her every time she fell as teens. That’s who had always been by her side. Adrien was always there to pick her up when she was down, literally and figuratively.

Adrien helped her to a stand. He brushed a stray hair behind her ear, smiling at her along the way. Gabriel, who was also greeting guest, cleared his throat. The blonde seemed to snap out of whatever trance she’d put him under. He looked up at his father, biting his lip with a grimace. He mouthed ‘sorry’ and turned back to her.

Letting her go awkwardly, he coughed into his fist. “U-Um, anyway. I’ll see you in there?”

Smiling, Marinette nodded. “Yeah.”

She gave Gabriel a polite curtsy and stepped into the mansion. When she made it into the grand ballroom, she almost hit the floor. There were so many higher ups in the fashion industry casually mingling with champagne glasses balanced between their fingertips. What shocked her even more was so many of them approaching her.

So many were congratulating her, telling her how beautiful the collection was, how excited they were to see her upcoming projects. Most of all, so many told her how _talented_ she was. And to hear that from so many people in this industry that she admired… that was the craziest thing. Even Audrey Bourgeois knew name. It was overwhelming to say the least.

After grabbing her own champagne, Marinette made her way to the DJ booth. Nino had his hand pressed to his headphones as he spun different records on the turntable. He beamed when he noticed her approaching.

“Hey, Marinette. Enjoying your spotlight?”

She snorted. “Hardly. I’ve never had this much attention in my life.”

“Aw, c’mon, ‘Nette. You know you were a local celebrity around here after you won Gabriel’s design contest years ago. People from lycée still mention you,” he said with a grin. He motioned for her to join him on the stage.

Hesitantly, she glanced around and noticed that everyone was enjoying their merry making. Deciding there probably wasn’t any harm, she hopped on the stage next to him. She watched as he spun the records beneath his fingers. Marinette bobbed her head to the beats, listening on the other side of the headphone.

“So,” she began shouting over the music. “I take it Adrien still gets you gigs with Gabriel like he did back in the day?”

Nino nodded. “Yeah, he does. It helps I’ve worked up my own merit now, though.”

“I’ve heard you’re at your own studio now.”

“Yeah, and I’m playing some of my own mixes at a radio station as well.”

Marinette beamed. “That’s awesome!”

She was so happy that she and all her friends had found success. It was nice that they all achieved their dreams, followed their ambitions. They had all worked so hard to get where they were.

Which made her life so much more difficult at the moment.

After a bit more small talk with Nino, she decided to take her leave. She definitely didn’t need to spend too much time with the DJ and not enough with her colleagues. When she made her way back to the dance floor, she saw a familiar bob of red hair. Tikki’s dress was beautiful. Much tighter to her body than Marinette’s own dress. The mermaid fit flattered her tiny frame. But she was a bit surprised to see that Tikki wasn’t alone.

She had her arm bent at the elbow with Plagg, who sported a tux with a deep green tie. Marinette blinked, a little surprised but approached anyway when Tikki flagged her down.

“Marinette! You look amazing! Adrien surely knows how to flatter a girl, doesn’t he?”

Letting out a hesitant laugh, she nodded. “I guess he does, doesn’t he?”

Plagg rolled his eyes with a snort. “He should. All he does is talk about you and make gooey doe eyes when he sees you.”

Tikki elbowed him lightly. “Plagg!” she grunted. He “oofed” in response but snapped his jaw shut with a pout. “Anyway, you remember Plagg? Adrien’s bodyguard?”

Glancing between the two of them, Marinette nodded. “I do… but I was unaware you were each other’s date?”

“We had some time together after the show. He’s a little rough around the edges,” Tikki gazed up at him with a smirk. “But he’s really a big softy.”

“Whatever,” Plagg huffed, looking away with a blush.

Tikki hid her mouth behind her hand, but really did nothing to hush her voice. “Has a weird obsession with cheese too.”

“Hey! Camembert is really good, okay?”

Marinette giggled at the exchange. Tikki smiled and began to tug Plagg away. “We need some more champagne, I’m sure we’ll find you some cheese over on the platter,” she teased.

Grumbling an “okay,” Plagg allowed himself to be dragged off by Tikki towards the beverages. Marinette suddenly found herself alone in the crowded ballroom. Deciding that exploring would be better than standing there like a log, she began trotting around the dance floor. Occasionally, she’d get a tap on the shoulder with a congratulations. She’d smile and nod, thank the person and move on. Not wanting to continue mundane small talk with a bunch of the fabulously wealthy. She just wanted to pace around until Adrien was done greeting guests… and she could rely on him as a crutch for the rest of the evening.

“Well, well… Should have suspected you’d be here.”

The voice made Marinette’s skin crawl. The snarky tone was all too telling. Putting on a polite smile, she spun around, her dress swooshing along her hips as she did so.

“How can I help you, Lila?”

Go figure she’d still choose that gaudy orange color she was obsessed with while at a Christmas themed party. Clearly, everyone else was in theme. But Lila certainly had to make herself stand out somehow, right? Her looks wouldn’t suffice in the presence of top models, would it?

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “I guess I should congratulate you on the collab. You obviously couldn’t pull off something like that on your own.”

Blinking, Marinette cocked a brow at her. “You _do_ realize Gabriel put me in charge of almost everything, right? He only contributed the models and a few designs.”

Smirking, she took a step closer. “Right, right… The _models_. Gabriel models… and somehow, I wasn’t included. I assumed that was _your_ doing, right?”

“Well, of course. We have a bad history. I wanted to make sure that the environment was professional, and there was no tension. No awkwardness. Clearly, if this conversation is any indication, you and I cannot civilly work together. I wasn’t going to stick my neck out, especially not for you.”

Lila gaped. Perhaps she was shocked that Marinette had grown a backbone. Years in the fashion industry, especially as an intern at the bottom of the podium, would do that too you. And frankly, Marinette was proud of herself.

“Oh, please. You were just trying to keep me away from Adrien.”

Clicking her tongue, Marinette eyed her. “Pretty sure Adrien stays away from you on his own.”

“He does _not!_ He’s liked me for years!”

“Then why did he date—oh, what’s her name…?” Marinette hummed, then snapping when the name fell off the tip of her tongue. “Kagami! He dated Kagami, right? After I left? But… not you. So, explain to me, how does that make you think he likes you. If he had feelings for you, he’d ask you out. Adrien is quite the romantic.”

Lila took a step forward, far too into Marinette’s space bubble for comfort. She tried to stay cool and calm, because this technically was a work event. But if Lila laid a hand on her, she wouldn’t hesitate to retaliate.

“What do you know about Adrien!?”

Brows scrunching, Marinette stared stupidly at her. Was she serious? “I know everything about him? We’ve been best friends for years.”

“Yeah? Well, what kind of _best friend_ leaves him without a word, huh? He was destroyed for months and that was _your_ fault! You are the one who broke his heart. And here you are, Marinette, about to do it all over again. You’re going to fly off back to New York and leave Adrien alone and broken hearted all over again. If anyone is the bad guy here, it’s you.”

Each word was like a dagger piercing her skin. Her heart. Lila’s hissing words twisting the knife deeper through her flesh. Tears pricked her eyes as she turned to leave. She didn’t miss Lila’s smirk, arms crossing as Marinette took off through the crowd.

She yelped when a hand grabbed her wrist.

Marinette turned, seeing Adrien’s fingers locked around her skin. “Marinette?”

Jerking away from him, she hugged her arms to herself. “No, don’t.”

“What’s going on?”

Marinette cautiously glanced at Lila but tried not to make it too obvious. Adrien turned his head, following her line of vision and noticed Lila seeming absurdly proud of herself. Grabbing Marinette by the arms, he pulled her in close. Leaning down, he got face height with her. “Marinette, I don’t know what she said to you, but don’t listen to her.”

“But she’s right! I _hurt_ you! And here I am, about to just leave you again. I should just go. Spare you a goodbye again. This last week has been amazing, Adrien. And I thank you. But I’m not right for you.”

As she turned to leave again, he merely held her tighter. “I let you get away once, I’m not going to do it again.”

“Adrien…”

“We’ll work something out, Marinette. I’ll go to New York with you. I’ll talk to my father and we can figure something out.”

Sighing, she shook her head. “Gabriel would never allow such a thing. You’re his top model.”

“I can’t lose you again.”

She glanced away, not sure what to say. She’d hurt him so much. And she was hurting him again. “I-I…”

“Perhaps, I may have a solution.”

Both of the two yelped, jumping away from the new voice. They glanced down, seeing Mr. Wang Fu smiling in his suit. His hands were clasped behind his back as he stared up at the two of them.

“M-Mr. Fu!” Marinette gave a curtsy. “I didn’t expect you to be here.”

He grinned, stroking his beard. “I decided that giving you this news in person myself would be the best decision.”

“N-News?” she asked, glancing between him and Adrien.

“Yes,” Fu said, the smile never leaving his lips. “I would like to offer you a new position.”

“L-Like a promotion?”

He nodded. Marinette gaped.

“We have decided we want Miraculous to expand beyond New York. We decided that the Christmas collaboration would be an excellent way to test the waters in France. Paris, specifically. New York is not the only location known for high fashion. Wayzz and I thought that you’d be the perfect person for the job since you were from here, but now I know for certain that you are the perfect person because you have so many connections and are so talented. This is your home, Marinette. You shouldn’t have to chose between living your life and loving your career.”

“W-What are you saying?”

“We’d like to open an expansion of Miraculous here in Paris. I’ve already consulted Tikki about this is as well. I’d like the two of you to manage the company here.”

Marinette gaped, hands going to her mouth as her eyes lit up. “A-Are you serious?”

Fu gave a small nod, smiling again as he did so.

“Thank you!” she cried, hands going over her chest. She nearly collapsed with emotion. Knowing she’d still get to work with Miraculous, keep her job, stay with her family and friends… and Adrien. Her knees nearly buckled from relief. “You have no idea how much this means to me, Mr. Fu.”

He glanced between her and Adrien. “I can imagine.”

Adrien had waited patiently for his turn as he finally scooped Marinette into his arms. He spun her gently, squeezing around her waist. “You’re staying,” he said, relief clear in his voice. He buried his nose in her crown. “You’re staying,” he repeated, a lot more of a hushed tone that time.

“I’m staying,” she agreed, her shoulders wrapping around his shoulders.

He pulled away slightly to gaze down at her. Smiling, Adrien cupped her cheek. “I love you, Marinette.”

Sighing, she returned his sentiment. “I love you too, Adrien…”

He pulled her in, kissing her soundly. Her lips danced with his, heart pounding in her chest. The chiming of Christmas music sang in her ears, but it was distant as her mind was on the feeling of his lips on hers. She wasn’t sure how long they kissed in the crowded ballroom, but no one seemed to interrupt.

Marinette decided that Christmas was truly a magical time after all…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's your cheesy Hallmark ending with everything wrapped in a nice little bow LOL. It feels weird writing about the Christmas spirit a day before Valentine's, but WHATEVER. This monster is DONE. I will never make this mistake again and will always prewrite all of my holiday themed fics from now on. 
> 
> I burned my fingers, but I was determined to finish this damn thing before Valentine's. So, ya gurl just typed this last chapter with two burnt fingers but I'm so relieved that it's done that I can't find it in myself to care.
> 
> [tumblr](https://ashtheshortstack.tumblr.com)


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